


Arthur Pendragon and the Philosopher's Sword

by a8csock (ladysockalot), ladysockalot



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:19:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 60,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysockalot/pseuds/a8csock, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysockalot/pseuds/ladysockalot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur Pendragon was living a normal, mundane life, when he received a mysterious letter inviting him to the magical University of Camelot. Despite his scepticism before long he found himself being whisked of to a world of magic, mystery and destiny. His life would never be the same again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arthur Pendragon and the Philosopher's Sword

**Author's Note:**

> As far as this story goes it's sort of Merlin fused with Harry Potter. It stands as a fic on its own but could be expanded upon, or have sequels at some point.  
> I would like to thank all the people who've helped me. Thanks to dk323 for early encouragement, convincing me this idea was good enough, beta and support, thanks to chaneen for all her hardwork beta-ing. Thanks also to magog_83 for beta, encouragment and support (especially at the 11th hour) and thanks to chaosmaka for squee, encouragement anc cheerleading. And to all the peeps who have prodded, encouraged, and supported me through LJ and Twitter, thank you.

Prologue

To most people King Drive looked like any other suburban street. The houses were all styled the same, all made of the same beige coloured brick. Each front garden had the same size immaculate lawn. The cars on the driveway were similar models and colours, all corporate company cars. There was nothing particularly special or unique about it.

It was, in fact, rather boring and ordinary. Unlike the people currently standing across from number four.

“I wish we didn't have to leave him there,” Nimueh said, looking at the living room window. Despite it being daytime the curtains were drawn.

Beside her an older man in red robes looked sympathetic. “You know what Kilgharrah said,” Gaius replied. “It's not time yet.”

“He is Ygraine's son! He should be part of our world,” Nimueh said, the energy around her crackling.

Gaius put a hand on her arm. “Calm yourself, Nimueh. One day he will be. Uther is his father, the only family he has now; he will take care of him.”

“In a mundane way,” Nimueh said bitterly, although the energy around her calmed.

“And that's what Arthur needs right now,” Gaius replied.

Nimueh said nothing, as at that moment the curtains twitched. Taking this as a sign to leave they whispered a few words and simply vanished.

******************************************************************************

Eighteen years later....

 

The letter came on a Tuesday afternoon at 3PM. Arthur remembered because he had become attuned to the noise of the letterbox after anxiously waiting for his A-level results (which were good, but not enough for his first choice university to his father's disappointment. Even though Arthur had been planning a gap year anyway). He got up from his comfortable position on the sofa where he'd been messing about playing an FIFA game on his X-Box.

Stretching, he went to see what had been posted through the letterbox this late in the afternoon. The normal post had already come, and the last thing Arthur wanted was for Morgana to snatch the letter from under his nose. He wanted to read it before his sister if he could. She'd already gained too much blackmail material on him during the summer holidays.

As Arthur reached the door, he saw a single, thick-looking envelope on the mat and bent down to pick it up. The paper felt odd and thick; it felt old. It was slightly browned and oddly stained and the writing on it seemed old-fashioned. It was handwritten and hard to read.

Squinting, Arthur managed to make out the words:

'Mr Arthur Pendragon  
4 King Drive  
Albion'

That was it; there was no postcode. Arthur noticed the envelope didn't even have a stamp on it, which meant the letter had to have been hand delivered.

Who on earth would hand deliver a letter to him? Arthur could think of no one. Barely anyone wrote to him at all, except for postcards from his mates whose parents had let them go abroad to celebrate their exams, so the idea of a hand-delivered letter made no sense.

Flipping the letter over, he noticed the letter was sealed with dark red wax. The seal appeared to have the symbol of a dragon on it. Even more confused now, Arthur wondered if it was some big hoax. Maybe it contained some sort of powder that would blow up in his face.

“Who's it for?” came Morgana's voice.

Arthur looked up to see her coming down the stairs.

“It's for me,” he replied. “So, if you don’t mind leaving me alone....”

Morgana came down the stairs, and tried to look over his shoulder to get a glimpse. “Is your ex-girlfriend writing to you again? What was her name? Sil something?”

Arthur moved out of the hallway and back into the living room, Morgana still at his shoulder, proving that sisters were born to be annoying. “Silvia, and, no, this letter isn't from her. I don’t think this is her writing.” Arthur held up the letter briefly so Morgana could see the address.

“You've got a letter!” Morgana practically shrieked.

“I think we've already established that.”

“No, I mean you've got a letter. The letter. Father will go mad when he finds out.” Morgana clapped her hands in delight.

Arthur half suspected Morgana had sent the thing as a joke.

“Well, go on then,” she said, nudging him. “Open it.”

“It's my letter,” Arthur said. “I'll decide when I open it. I'm not opening it just because you want me to.” He was not giving Morgana the satisfaction of seeing his reaction.

“I know what it says anyway,” Morgana said, turning to leave the room. “I just wanted to see your face.”

“So you _did_ send this!”

“Arthur, you're not worth the trouble,” Morgana replied and left the room. No doubt heading upstairs to go and do whatever it was she did that required her to lock her door so often.

Arthur sat down on the sofa and fingered the envelope while trying to work out the psychological machinations of his elder sister. Had Morgana acted like it was no big deal so he would open the letter? Was it a double bluff? Was she waiting outside in the hall?

Getting up, Arthur stuck his head around the door but there was no sign of her. Carefully closing the living room door he went back over to the sofa. Falling back and letting himself sink into the cushions, he took a good long look at the envelope.

The handwriting, the seal, the paper - - it all seemed a lot of effort for a joke. The more he held it, the more Arthur's fingertips began to tingle. He flexed them, but the tingle remained. Something about the letter did intrigue him.

With a last look toward the door, Arthur broke the seal and pulled out a thickly folded letter. The letter was made from the same thick, old-looking paper as the envelope. He unfolded it and saw that the letter was written in the same odd handwriting as the address. He read it silently, re-reading to make sense of the hard-to-read words.

'Dear Mr Arthur Pendragon,

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that you have been accepted to study at Camelot University for the Magically Gifted.

You are to start the new semester on 1st September.

Further instructions and information about your travel arrangements will be sent to you by post tomorrow.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gaius Gideon

On behalf of Professor Kilgharrah; Chancellor of Camelot University'

The letter made no sense to Arthur. As far as he knew there was no such university, let alone one he had applied to, and what was this about being magically gifted? Arthur Pendragon was as normal as they came.

Yes, sometimes odd things happened when he was playing footie, like that time the ball seemed to move without him touching it. Yes, there were a few weird marks on his wall that looked like scorch-marks, but that was nothing. He wasn't a wizard; he didn't own a wand or a pointy hat and he certainly didn't know any spells.

Frowning, he shoved the letter into his pocket and forgot about it until dinner.

******************************************************************************

Around the dinner table conversation was as stilted as always. Arthur's father, Uther, knew how to discuss the stock market with his friends and what to talk about when playing golf but the art of decent conversation with his children was something he had never mastered. It was a pity as it had just been the three of them for as long as Arthur had been alive.

Arthur was passing his father the salt when Morgana spoke up.

“Arthur got a letter today,” she said, smiling, before taking a bite of lasagne.

“And this is news, Morgana?” Uther asked. “I'm sure Arthur gets plenty of post.”

Morgana swallowed. “Not like this,” she said. “He got the letter.”

As Arthur watched, his father suddenly appeared to pale. His knuckles went white where he gripped his fork. He turned to Arthur. “Is this true?” he asked, his voice sounding angry.

“I got a letter, Father,” Arthur replied. “It's just a joke.”

“Let me see it.”

Not sure what was going on or what had caused his father to be so angry, Arthur pulled the letter out of his pocket and handed it to him.

Arthur watched as his father read it and then firmly screwed it up. “You will forget about this, Arthur,” he said. “You will pretend you never saw this.”

His father was acting very strangely over a letter that seemed to be nothing more than an elaborate hoax. “Yes, Father.”

To Arthur's surprise, Morgana stood up from her seat on the opposite side of the table. “You can't do that!” She said. “Arthur has a right to know.”

“There is nothing for him to know,” Uther said, his voice strained and his face becoming red in his anger. “You'll not mention the letter again either.”

“Try and stop me,” Morgana said, turning and storming out the room, slamming the door behind her.

Arthur hadn’t seen Morgana this angry at Uther for two years. He hadn't been privy to what had happened back then and it appeared he wasn't going to be allowed to know what was going on now. “Father?”

“It's best if you forget all about this,” Uther said, getting up from the table.

Arthur nodded and picked at his food. Normally he could forget it but he felt he was missing something, something very important. From the way his father had reacted, it was obvious there was far more to the letter than he had originally thought. Now he wondered if he should have handed it over so casually.

Uther had gone over to the fireplace, throwing the letter on the wood. They had a real fire, but as they had central heating, it was rarely lit. Now Uther was bent over striking a match, and, as Arthur watched, Uther set fire to the letter and watched it burn.

As the flames consumed the paper, Arthur was sure he could hear crying. He was angry and confused, and his head had begun to hurt, but he felt powerless to challenge his father. He wasn't like Morgana who stood up to their father daily.

Arthur didn't notice that, as the paper turned to black ashes, the glass holding his water cracked.

******************************************************************************

The atmosphere in the house was strained that night. Arthur went up to his room to stay out of the way of his father who was in the foulest mood Arthur could ever remember. He spent most of his time lying on his bed, flicking through the TV channels and playing with his iPod, only venturing out to grab a biscuit and a can of coke from the kitchen.

Making his way downstairs he saw Morgana knock on the door to their father's office, and heard Uther tell her to come in. Arthur knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but he couldn't help it as he crept down the stairs and along the hall to get a better position.

He could hear their raised voices through the door. He hardly had to listen in.

“He is not going and that is final!” he could hear his father yell.

“You have no right to stop him. Arthur is like his mother. You can choose to ignore that but it doesn’t change anything.”

Arthur frowned as he listened. He took after his mother in appearance, one reason he and Morgana barely looked related at all rather than half sibilings, but what on earth could Morgana mean?

“Ygraine gave all that up when we married.”

“But not when she made the choice to protect Arthur.”

“What happened eighteen years ago is history. I swore that I'd make sure Arthur was never part of that.”

Arthur was curious. Part of what? What had his mother been part of before she'd married his father? Not some sort of cult? From the way his father was talking that was what it sounded like. He rubbed his temples as his head started to hurt.

“You can’t make the decision!”

“As long as he lives in this house I can and I will. Arthur is my son and he lives by my rules. Just because I promised your mother on her deathbed doesn't mean I like you going there.”

“And what about Arthur's mother? What about her dying wishes?”

“You have no right to speak about that. Get out!”

Arthur lurched away from the door as Morgana flung it open and stormed out. She paused as she saw Arthur standing there, trying to look as if he hadn't been eavesdropping. “I'm sorry,” she whispered.

Arthur wanted to ask 'sorry for what?' but the words wouldn’t come. Losing all interest in getting a drink Arthur headed back upstairs. He was frustrated. Whatever was going on involved him, and clearly Morgana knew more about it than he did. Morgana knew something about his own mother he didn't know. It wasn't fair or right. She wasn’t Morgana's mother, why did Morgana know?

Arthur flung himself back on his bed, the sheets still rumpled from lounging on it earlier. He sighed, and rubbed his temples; his head was still throbbing. Another headache, just what he needed. He'd been suffering from them all year. At first he thought they were related to his exams and the intensive studying and cramming sessions he'd had to do, but they had continued on into the summer and painkillers had no effect.

Closing his eyes, he decided to try and relax a little. Maybe a short nap would help.

He hadn't seemed to have closed his eyes for long when he was woken up by Morgana yelling.

“Arthur! You better come down here!”

Arthur yawned and rubbed his eyes. He wondered if he hadn't imagined Morgana yelling until he heard her again.

“Arthur! Now!”

Morgana sounded very insistent. Shaking his head, Arthur got up off the bed, it took some effort. He went slowly to the door trying to wake himself up a bit. When he had made it out of his room he found Morgana was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. She was looking worried.

“You took your time,” she said.

“What's going on?” Arthur asked, still feeling a little fuzzy from sleep.

“Professor Gaius is talking to Father about your admission.”

“What on earth are you talking about, Morgana?” Arthur asked, stretching his stiff arms.

Morgana leaned close. “We don’t have much time but the letter you got, Arthur, that was real. Magic is real and you have it. Uther doesn't want you to attend Camelot.”

“What do you mean, it's real?” Arthur felt confused.

“Believe me, Arthur, please. You need to see Gaius.” Morgana shoved him toward the study door.

He could hear voices inside, one of them his father's. Arthur hovered outside, not sure if he should enter.

“Come in, Arthur,” came a voice that was not his father's. This voice was more cheerful and older sounding.

Gingerly, Arthur opened the door. Standing near his father was an older man with white hair, and what appeared to be faded blue robes. “Ah, Arthur, it's good to see you,” the man said, coming over and clasping Arthur's hand.

Arthur shook it out of politeness. “Do I know you?”

“How like your mother you are,” the man said. “I knew her well.”

“You knew my mother?”

“You will not speak to him,” Uther said.

The man stepped back from Arthur and turned toward Uther. “He has every right to know the truth, Uther. Please. It was Ygraine's dying wish....”

“And I will not have him hurt the way she was, Gaius.”

“Will someone please tell me what's going on?” Arthur asked, feeling lost. He'd caught his father calling the other man Gaius and Morgana had called him Professor for some reason. He remembered the name on the letter had been Professor Gaius.

“Your mother,” Gaius began, “was a great sorceress. One of the most gifted I've ever known. After she met your father of course she gave it up, but her gifts will have been passed onto you. You're a sorcerer, Arthur.”

“He is not!”

“I am not!”

Uther and Arthur spoke simultaneously.

“You're only just of age,” Gaius said. “Your powers will just be emerging. That's why you need to come to Camelot; to study, to learn and to put your gifts to good use.”

“I don’t have any gifts,” Arthur said. “I'm normal.” Even if his headache had returned as a dull ache behind his eyes. He could feel the pain starting to spread.

“There has been no evidence of magic,” Uther said.

“Because you have chosen to ignore it,” Gaius said. “Kilgharrah is never wrong.”

Arthur’s head was now throbbing all over. He felt as if he should know exactly what they were talking about but he didn’t. The names were almost familiar; he could almost place them. Something about Gaius, magic and Kilgharrah. If only his head would stop hurting.

“What are you talking about?!” he yelled.

At that moment, the whiskey glass on his father's desk shattered. As it did so, Arthur's head suddenly felt lighter.

“There you see,” Gaius said.

“I didn't do anything!” Arthur protested, staring at the remains of the glass, all sharp, jagged edges.

Uther was staring at him in shock. “You're a...”

Arthur backed away slowly. His father looked pale half in fear and half in anger. “Father...”

Gaius took his arm. “I think it would be best for everyone right now if we left. Pack what you can and meet me outside in five minutes.” Gaius pushed him toward the door of Uther's study. “Go, hurry.”

Arthur looked back at his father who had by now collapsed in his chair and was staring at the whiskey glass. Arthur wanted to say something but the urgent look on Gaius's face told him now was not the time. He left the room and ran upstairs.

Morgana was waiting for him in his room, already stuffing things into his rucksack, the one he'd bought for his gap year travelling the world. Now it seemed she wanted him to run away from home with it.

“I've packed you some toiletries, your iPod, your phone and some money,” she informed him. “I was also going to pack a few T-shirts and some pairs of jeans, but I know how you feel about your clothes.”

Arthur just dumbly stared at her as she rushed about the room, pulling out underwear and socks and stuffing them into the rucksack. “I'm not going anywhere,” he said quietly.

Morgana stopped and turned to him. Without warning she gave him a hug. Morgana never hugged him. “You are,” she said. “Arthur, I know you're scared but trust me, you need to go with Gaius.”

“How on earth can you know how I feel?” Arthur asked.

Morgana turned to where the rucksack lay on the bed. She whispered something and the two pairs of socks next to it suddenly floated up and then down into the bag. “I know exactly what it's like,” she said, quietly. Turning back, she smiled. “This is for the best.”

“I can't just leave father....” Arthur protested. “Not like that.”

“He needs time,” Morgana said. “Trust me, Arthur.”

Despite the craziness that had overtaken his life in the past half hour, Arthur did trust her. Morgana had always been there for him since they were children, despite their sometimes strained relationship. He nodded. “I just want to know what's going on.”

Morgana gave him a sympathetic look. “You will,” she said.

“I know. I trust you,” Arthur said, half tempted to roll his eyes.

Morgana gave him another hug and pushed him towards the bed to finish his packing. Arthur felt a bit sick but he did want answers and it seemed that he wasn't going to get them from his father. He wanted to know what had happened with the glass, what his mother had been, why there was so much he felt he should know but was just out of his reach.

He shoved a couple of T-shirts and two pairs of jeans into his rucksack. He chose his plainer ones given he had no idea where he would be going. Somehow he had a feeling that it wouldn't be the sort of place where people would understand any witty T-shirt slogans.

Everything fit nicely into his rucksack, which had been designed for this, although Arthur didn't think he'd be off hiking anywhere. He grabbed his jacket and put it on before flinging the rucksack over his back. A quick glance at his watch showed he'd already kept Gaius waiting for over five minutes.

Morgana pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and pushed a glass ball into his hand. “So you don't forget,” she whispered.

Arthur studied the thing, confused. It seemed just a trinket like the sort Morgana bought all the time from the weird new age shop on the high-street. “Thank you,” he said. He appreciated the thought behind the gift, even if it seemed unhelpful. When he got outside his room he shoved the ball deep in his rucksack, hoping to protect it by packing his clothes around it.

He made his way downstairs, half expecting his father to be at the door to stop him, but he wasn't. Arthur was unsure whether to be relieved or not. Part of him wanted his father to be there, to stop him leaving but somehow Arthur had known he wouldn't be. He opened the door quietly and stepped outside.

Gaius was waiting for him at the end of the drive. Arthur walked toward him, feeling more than a little nervous as he felt the cool night air on his face. He wasn't sure whether to return the smile Gaius was giving him or not.

“You’ve got your things?” he asked.

“A few things, yes,” Arthur said. In his rucksack was probably less than he'd even think to bring camping, but he hadn't had time to really think about what to pack.

“Good,” Gaius said. “We can go then.”

One thing that hadn't escaped Arthur's notice was that there was no strange car parked anywhere on the street. “Are we taking the train?” he asked. “Or a bus?”

Gaius looked thoughtful. “We could take the bus but I believe speed is of the essence.”

Without warning, he grabbed Arthur's arm, muttered something that sounded like 'forþweg' and his eyes flashed gold. Arthur felt as if he was gently being tugged but then the feeling became stronger, as if his whole body was being pulled. Everything around seemed to distort and swirl around him. Then everything went black.

******************************************************************************

When Arthur came to, he found himself lying on a slightly dusty, bare floor. It wasn't very comfortable so Arthur moved to sit up. As he did so his head felt light and dizzy and his joints tingled. It was disconcerting.

“Here, drink this,” came Gaius's voice, breaking through the hazy feeling in Arthur's head.

A cup of something was pressed into Arthur's hand. Despite his dizziness he eyed the concoction in the glass carefully. It looked thick, green, and very unappealing.

“It will make you feel better,” Gaius said.

For all Arthur knew it could have been poison, but considering he'd been standing on his drive not moments earlier, he didn’t have a choice. Plus, he was starting to feel worse. Closing his eyes, he drank the contents of the cup in one.

A bitter taste assaulted his throat and he coughed once he'd drunk it all. “What was that?” he asked, screwing his face up at the taste.

“A restorative,” Gaius said, taking the empty cup from him. “Transparating for the first time can take its toll on the body.”

Arthur was starting to feel much better. His joints no longer tingled and the dizziness was fading. He felt well enough to try and stand up. “What's Transper-- whatever it was?” he asked.

“The act of magically transporting yourself from one place to another,” Gaius replied, helping Arthur to his feet.

Arthur brushed the dust from his jeans and looked around. The room was fairly dull and old looking. The walls were a dark, rich wood panelling, with odd carvings of what looked like monsters dotted about here and there. The ceiling looked as if it hadn't been painted or cleaned in years, and there were cobwebs in the corners.

As to furniture, there was a table and chairs and a couple of four poster beds draped with curtains that looked tatty and old. There were a few worn rugs dotted about which looked rather threadbare and the colours on them had faded. The whole room looked trapped in time, as if the door had been locked for several decades and it had only just been opened.

“Where are we?” Arthur asked.

“The Rising Sun inn,” Gaius replied. “In Avalon.”

“Avalon?” Arthur wondered if he was dreaming. If he had in fact been killed in some sort of magical accident.

“Yes, the magical realm that exists alongside Albion. Uther didn't tell you any of this?” Gaius asked, looking concerned.

“No,” Arthur said. “This can't be real. Magic isn't real....” He paced a little trying to get his head around the fact he had somehow been magically transported to an old inn in some strange other realm.

“I understand this is a shock,” Gaius said.

“I think it's a little more than that,” Arthur told him.

Gaius smiled. “Perhaps you'd like something to eat?” he asked. Not waiting for Arthur's reply he muttered some words and waved his hand about. Suddenly, on the table was what looked like a plate of roast chicken dinner, and a glass of water. “I believe it's one of your favourites,” Gaius said.

Arthur wandered over to the table and blinked. It looked real. He reached out and touched the edge of the plate. It felt real, too. His stomach growled. It hadn't been that long since he'd eaten but the smell of the food was too tempting.

“It's not poisonous,” Gaius said.

Arthur sat down and picked up the fork that had also appeared out of nowhere. He then picked up the knife and tentatively sliced off a bit of chicken. Raising his fork he took a bite. It tasted real too, some of the best he'd ever tasted. He finished off that piece and then tried the potatoes, also real and also tasty.

Eventually after trying everything he started to eat more normally. Gaius sat opposite him and watched. It was a bit disconcerting.

“You’re very like your mother,” Gaius said. “She liked roast chicken too.”

Arthur swallowed his mouthful. “What was my mother?” he asked.

“A sorceress, one of the best. In time she could have been good enough to teach at Camelot but she met your father and....” Gaius paused. “Uther was never that fond of magic even before.... He preferred Ygraine seek a career outside of Avalon.”

“She was a teacher,” Arthur said. Not that he had ever known her. He often wondered if he would have had an easier time at school if she'd lived, or if his father's pushiness to do well would have been echoed by his mother.

Gaius smiled. “She would have taught you about your magic.”

“I don’t have any magic,” Arthur replied, stabbing his food.

“Then how do you explain what happened with the glass?”

Arthur couldn't really explain it. Or much of what he'd experienced. The idea that his mother had been some sort of witch seemed unreal. “I can't.”

Gaius smiled.

Arthur ate a little more before asking a question that had been on his mind since he realised Gaius had known his mother. “If my mother had all this magic,” he said. “How did she die when she gave birth to me?”

Gaius's expression grew darker. “I don't think now is the time to be discussing that, Arthur.”

His tone told Arthur that the question wouldn’t be answered, no matter how much he asked.

“I have a right to know,” Arthur said.

“You do, and you'll be told, but not yet. There's a lot for you to take in.”

Despite the fact that he wanted to argue, Arthur knew that Gaius was right. He had been plunged into a world he knew nothing about. Still, there was a sense of familiarity, of belonging, even though he was in a strange room with a man he knew nothing about.

“What do you do?” Arthur asked, realising it was probably a good idea to know more about Gaius.

“I'm a Professor at Camelot University; the letter would have told you that,” Gaius said.

“What are you a professor of?”

This seemed to engage Gaius's interest. “My studies are generally related to the field of magical science, with particular interest in the healing arts.”

Arthur frowned. “You're a doctor?”

“Of sorts, yes. I teach healing magic among other things. You will be taking courses with me as well as your other tutors.”

Arthur was about to ask more about what courses he would be having, assuming he was actually going to a magical university (and he couldn't be sure about that; he still wondered if he wasn't still asleep), when there was a knock at the door.

“I'll see who it is,” Gaius said, getting up.

Taking one last bite Arthur realised he felt full and his appetite had diminished. The food on his plate no longer held any interest. Not when he was finally beginning to get answers to questions he hadn’t had until recently.

“Ah, Geoffrey, come in,” Gaius said, as he opened the door..

An older man entered the room. He looked around Gaius's age with bushy eyebrows and equally bushy beard that seemed designed to offset his bald head. He was carrying a large armful of books and was wearing deep red robes.

“Arthur, this is Geoffrey of Monmouth,” Gaius said, ushering the man in. “He's Camelot's head librarian.”

Putting his fork down, Arthur stood up and politely offered his hand. “Pleased to meet you. I'm Arthur Pendragon,” he said, formally.

Geoffrey was unable to shake Arthur's hand; he was having a hard enough time holding onto his books. “Pleased to meet you, Arthur,” he said. “You do look like your mother.”

Someone else who knew her, Arthur presumed. “So I've heard.”

“Geoffrey's brought the textbooks you'll be needing,” Gaius replied, waving a hand and clearing the table of the plate, food and cutlery. It was fortunate Arthur had finished eating.

“Thank you,” Arthur said.

Geoffrey set the tomes down with a heavy thud. “Yes, your mother left these in my care some years ago in the hope one day you'd be able to use them.”

Arthur reached out and touched one of the leather covers. “These were my mother's?”

“Yes, they were. In fact,” Geoffrey held up a finger and then began to go through the pile. He pulled out a small book, one with a black leather cover. “This was written by her,” he said, passing the book to Arthur.

Arthur took it carefully, his fingers warm against the leather. The title was embossed on the front with gold lettering: 'A Discourse on Magical Legends and their Modern Interpretation by Ygraine DuBois'. “My mother wrote this?”

“She did,” Geoffrey said. “It was her first and only work. Avalon lost a great scholar when she married your father. She could have been as well known as William of Cambria given time.”

“Who is William of Cambria?”

Geoffrey went to the piles of books again and pulled out a particularly thick one. “This is his best known work, 'The Bestiary'; it's required reading for all students.”

Arthur eyed the book. It looked long and boring. “What else do students have to read?”

All of the books Geoffrey had brought it seemed. The librarian went through them one by one extolling the virtues of each. There was 'Basic Elemental Magic and Practical Application' by a Nimueh Lake, 'A Guide to the Herbs of Avalon and Their Medicinal Uses' authored by Gaius, 'On Destiny: Magical Philosophy' by one Professor Kilgarrah, and various others aimed at first year students just starting to learn magic.

“And I have to read all of these?” Arthur asked in disbelief.

“And learn it,” Gaius said, sternly.

Geoffrey looked disappointed. “There's a great deal of learning in those books,” he said.

Arthur would have made some remark, but then Gaius spoke, shooting Arthur a look to tell him to keep quiet.

“Well, it's been a long day for Arthur,” Gaius said. “He should get some rest.”

“Of course,” Geoffrey replied. “Don't want him to miss the train to Camelot tomorrow.”

Arthur frowned. “Train?”

“I'll explain more about your travel arrangements in the morning,” Gaius said, and he went to see Geoffrey out.

Arthur was left alone to get ready for bed. He'd forgotten to actually pack any pyjamas but magically some appeared on the bed as he went through his rucksack. It was another odd thing that Arthur felt a little disturbed by.

That night Arthur lay in the strange bed reading his mother's book. As he read, he tried to imagine her voice, imagine her reading the book to him. Some of the content was made up of fairy stories and Arthur wondered if Ygraine would have read such tales to him as a child, or if even fairy stories would have been too much magic for his father.

As he fell asleep, he could almost hear her whispering in his ear about princes and wizards and magical kingdoms.

******************************************************************************

The next morning, it took a while for Arthur to realise where he was. Oddly, he wasn't panicking or worried, despite being in unfamiliar surroundings. The bed was comfortable, and though he felt a pang of guilt at what his father would be doing or thinking, it soon passed. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, only to see Gaius standing at the foot of his bed.

“Ah, so you are awake. You better get dressed. Breakfast is ready and you've got a very busy day ahead of you,” Gaius said. “I'll leave you to get ready.” Arthur heard the door creak as Gaius left the room.

There was no sign of a shower or a bathroom but there was a chamber pot and a bowl with a jug of warm water and some soap. It wasn't what Arthur was used to but he managed to get himself clean and dressed by the time Gaius came back.

They sat down to breakfast which consisted of eggs, bacon, and toast. Gaius had apparently already eaten as he just sat and watched as Arthur tucked in. It was slightly unnerving and Arthur found he wasn’t hungry. Although Gaius's gaze guilted him into eating most of what had been put in front of him.

“We'll have to leave soon to catch the train,” Gaius said.

“What train?” Arthur asked around a mouthful of bacon.

“The train to Camelot. Everything you need is all packed up,” Gaius said, waving a hand over to where there was an old fashioned trunk. “All of your books and some clothes.”

“How did you get my clothes?” Arthur asked.

“Your sister was kind enough to help with that. You'll see Morgana when you get to Camelot.”

That reassured Arthur, as Morgana at least gave him the hope of some answers. He could just about buy that magic existed but beyond that he wasn't sure.

“Are you all right, Arthur?” Gaius asked.

“I feel fine,” Arthur replied. He hadn't suffered a headache since he'd arrived with Gaius.

“You'll feel a lot better here,” Gaius said. “Your magic will be calmer.”

Perhaps that explained the absence of headaches. Arthur still didn't feel as if he had magic though. He was sure he would be able to feel something. At the moment all he felt was slightly sick from eating too fast.

Gaius was in a hurry though. Arthur had barely had time to drink his tea before Gaius was badgering him to get ready to go. Arthur put his jacket on, put his rucksack over his shoulder and dragged the trunk to the door.

“I'm ready,” he said.

Gaius seemed to appraise him for a moment. “Good,” he said. “Follow me and keep up. We've got to make sure you catch the train.”

When the door opened Arthur saw a dark corridor, with the same panels of dark wood that were in the room he'd stayed in. The floorboards creaked as he walked over them, and he was sure there were cobwebs dotted around. The whole place smelt old and musty.

Gaius led the way down a dark and narrow staircase at the end of the corridor. It was a struggle for Arthur to get the trunk down the stairs without it landing on his foot. For an old man, Gaius moved surprisingly quickly.

When they reached the bottom, Arthur noticed the floor had changed to stone flags rather than floorboards. The floor was no cleaner though. It seemed they were in a bar; there were tables dotted about and quite a few people sat and talking - some quite loudly.

Suddenly, the noise stopped and all eyes turned toward Arthur. The bar was silent as Gaius led him through the area, weaving between the tables. Arthur could feel the gazes of every person in the bar on him, and he didn’t know why. Perhaps they could see he was an interloper, an imposter who didn’t have magic.

In one corner of the bar was a small door. Gaius opened it and ushered Arthur in. It was a bit of a squeeze to get himself, his rucksack and his trunk through. They had to go down an even smaller rickety staircase and there was no light. That was until Gaius muttered something and the space was suddenly illuminated by bright blue light hovering above them.

The room seemed to be a cellar of some sort, which made sense if they were indeed in an inn. Arthur could make out barrels stored against the wall. Gaius led the way across the stone flags to another door, which was smaller again.

“I have the key somewhere,” he said, searching through his robes.

“Where are we?” Arthur said.

“At a portal,” Gaius replied. “I suppose you could call it that. Ah, found the key.” He held up an old rusted piece of metal that at one point probably had been a key.

He put it in the lock and turned it. There was an odd rumbling sound, as if it wasn't one lock being unlocked but hundreds. Arthur watched and the door seemed to tremble. When the sound stopped Gaius pulled something else out of his robes.

“Here is your ticket,” he said, handing over an envelope. “Now, the train leaves in fifteen minutes so don't be late.”

Arthur still had no idea where he was going. “How am I supposed to catch a train from here?” he asked.

Gaius said nothing, but pushed open the door to reveal a bustling train station. Arthur thought it looked familiar, but he didn’t have time to say anything as Gaius bundled him and his luggage out. When Arthur turned back to say something, the door had vanished and he was left standing in the middle of a busy railway station with no idea where he was going.

Remembering the envelope, Arthur opened it and took out a golden ticket with black lettering on it. It wasn’t like any train ticket he'd ever seen before. He read the ticket slowly.

Camelot University Express  
Student: Arthur Pendragon  
Departing 11.30AM Platform 14.5

What sort of a platform was that, he wondered? Glancing up he realised why the station was so familiar. He was in London Euston station, of all places. As far as he knew, Euston didn't have a platform 14.5.

Since he couldn't just stand around, he began to head in the general direction of platform 14 in the hope he could find a member of staff to help him. He studied his ticket in more detail as he walked, hauling his trunk behind him. He didn't notice the young man in front of him until he bumped into him.

“Watch where you’re going,” he said, out of frustration and habit.

The boy, who was dark haired and seemed about Arthur's age, turned around. “I wasn't the one not looking where he was going, idiot.”

“Idiot? At least I have some manners.”

“Oh yes, telling people to watch where they're going is very polite.”

“I have a lot of things on my mind. Important things an idiot like you couldn’t possibly understand.”

“Oh really? Well at least I understand how to be nice to people I've bumped into because I've not been looking where I was going.”

Arthur was about to say something further, when a woman's voice called in their direction. “Merlin! Come on, you don’t want to miss the train.”

Giving Arthur a defiant glare, the boy, Merlin, left and headed off toward a woman who was probably his mother.

Arthur sighed and glanced at the clock. The little run in he'd just had had cost him five minutes he couldn't afford to lose. He looked around for a staff member to ask, but, typically, he couldn't see one. He did hear a couple of girls his age giggling.

“I can't wait until we get to Camelot,” one was saying. “Apparently they're opening the chess team this year to first years. They said something about reducing the magic in the pieces to make them safer.”

Arthur barely understood what the girl was saying but he latched onto the word 'Camelot'. He saw the girls walking away from him and began to follow them; it seemed as if they knew where they were going. They were heading to platform fourteen. As Arthur watched they walked along the platform but then suddenly vanished.

Arthur stared. The girls had seemed to disappear into thin air. He couldn't see them anywhere; it didn't make any sense. How was he supposed to get on a non-existent platform? He really doubted he could actually say to a member staff that he'd seen two girls vanish and he needed to do the same.

Luckily, he then saw a woman seemingly reappear out of nowhere. He recognised her as the mother of Merlin, the boy he'd bumped into earlier. She smiled when she saw him, and came over. Arthur was holding his ticket in plain view, and wondered if that was what the woman had noticed.

“You don't know how to get onto the platform?” she asked.

Arthur nodded. “I'm just supposed to disappear?” he asked.

The woman laughed. “No, you need to walk forward, past the rune on the platform and just push through the barrier.”

“What's a rune and what barrier?”

“Come with me” she said, taking his arm. “I'm guessing you were brought up mundane? No magic?”

“No magic at all,” Arthur said. “I don't think I have magic.”

“You have a ticket,” she said. “You have magic.”

Arthur decided he didn't really want to argue with a woman who was obviously trying to be helpful. “Thank you.”

“Come with me,” she said, leading Arthur further along the platform. She stopped before a strange mark on the platform, something that Arthur hadn't noticed before. “This is the rune,” she said. “Walk forward a little.”

Feeling a little foolish Arthur did as he was told. He felt something push back against him, as if the air was suddenly thick with resistance.

“Close your eyes and push past it,” the woman said.

Before Arthur could protest, he felt a shove at his back and then he felt as if he was pushing through some sort of barrier. There was a whooshing noise in his ears, before the sounds around him changed. He could hear laughter and movement all around. He opened his eyes and found himself standing on an old fashioned, Victorian-style platform. He glanced up and saw the sign: 'Platform 14.5'.

Blinking, Arthur looked around. He wasn't sure how he had ended up here. He wondered if perhaps the woman he had talked to had magic. She might have been the one to transport him here, he thought, just like Gaius had. There was a hissing noise and Arthur noticed the large red steam engine in front of him. He read the name on it – Camelot Express. This mythical university had its own train.

“Come along now, hurry up,” a man, in what looked like knight's clothing, was saying.

Arthur just stared.

“Come on,” the man said. “The train will be leaving soon. Get on board.”

Arthur and his luggage were swept up in a mass of students that had been milling around. Now they were rushing forward toward the train. Arthur felt himself being pushed and jostled by the people around him. It was hard to keep hold of his trunk, and he felt his rucksack being squashed from all sides.

“Hey! Watch it!” he said but his protests were drowned out by the melee.

Eventually he made it onto the train. The coaches were old fashioned and had compartments. Everyone else seemed eager and were busily cramming themselves into ones with their friends. Arthur had no friends, he knew no one in this strange world. He was more than a little envious of the people around him talking easily to one another and laughing with excitement.

He wandered through the coach, squeezing himself and his luggage down the narrow aisle, looking for somewhere to sit, just a quiet corner where no one would notice he was an imposter. Maybe if the train stopped somewhere, he could get off and find a way home, although for all Arthur knew he was in a different country or a parallel universe.

Finally, he found a carriage that had only one occupant. Unfortunately, the occupant was the boy he'd bumped into at the station. Merlin, Arthur recalled. He was the last person Arthur wanted to be stuck near on a long train journey, but he had no choice. Everywhere else was taken.

The compartment was cramped and already pretty full of luggage. There was an owl in a cage on the seat next to Merlin that seemed to be asleep. Merlin himself appeared to be reading a thick old book, rather like the ones Geoffrey had shown him. Several books covered the rest of Merlin's seat, but the one opposite was clear and free.

Arthur stepped inside. “Excuse me,” he said in his politest voice. “Is anyone sitting here?” he asked, indicating the seat opposite Merlin.

Merlin, who had been reading a book, looked up. “You're on the train?”

“Yes,” Arthur said, trying to keep his tone polite. “I'm sorry for bumping into you at the train station.”

Merlin smiled. “It's okay,” he said. “I had a lot on my mind.” He closed his book and left it on his lap. “Come in and sit down. We'll be setting off any minute now.”

As if Merlin had uttered prophetic words the train gave a lurch and began to move. Arthur was practically thrown into the compartment, tripping over luggage, and as he tried to regain his balance, he fell forward and onto Merlin.

“You've bumped into me again,” Merlin said, but there was no malice in his voice.

“I'm sorry,” Arthur said, uncomfortably aware of his closeness to Merlin. In the last few months Arthur had figured out he might very possibly be bisexual if not gay and the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in front of a stranger.

He quickly got off Merlin, and smiled nervously. Another lurch of the train sent him hurtling into his seat; Merlin seemed very amused.

“It isn't funny, Merlin,” he said as he got up to haul his trunk in. He took his rucksack off and placed it on the seat.

“It is,” Merlin said. “And I don't even know your name.”

“Arthur,” he said, offering a hand. “Arthur Pendragon.”

Merlin looked shocked, too shocked to take Arthur's proffered handshake. “The Arthur Pendragon?” he asked.

“I'm the only Arthur Pendragon I know,” Arthur said, sitting down on the slightly lumpy seat.

Merlin suddenly seemed to get very excited. “I can't believe it! The Arthur Pendragon. Son of Ygraine. We've all heard stories, but I didn't think you'd actually be here. I mean of course you can be here, you're the right age and everyone gets their letter but we all thought you’d been held captive by your mundane father or something. I mean the rumours --”

“Merlin!” Arthur said. “Can you please tell me what are you talking about?”

“You're Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur was beginning to wonder if everyone he met in this world was going to be oddly eccentric. “I think we established that.”

“The child who lived,” Merlin said, flailing his arms about a little.

“Well I'm not dead.” Arthur was confused.

“Of course not but...” Merlin paused. “You don't know?

“Don't know what?”

“About Him.”

“Who?”

Merlin bit his lip. “I can't say his name; it's bad luck.”

“Spell it then.”

Leaning forward Merlin whispered. “M R O D D E R.”

“Mordder?

Still whispering, Merlin spoke again. “No M R and then O D D E R.”

“Mr Odder? What kind of a name's that?” Arthur asked, frowning.

“Shhh!” Merlin whispered loudly. “He might hear you.”

“Is he on the train?” Arthur asked, looking around. The compartment was empty, apart from the two of them and Merlin's owl.

Merlin looked outside the window. “They say he never really died, that he's out there somewhere waiting to return.”

“Merlin, who is he, why is he not really dead, and what are you talking about?”

Merlin turned back to face Arthur. “I keep forgetting you were brought up mundane.”

It was a word Arthur recognised. “What does that mean? People keep talking about it.”

“It means without magic. Mundanes are people without magic.”

“Well that's me then.”

Merlin shook his head. “No, you have magic. If you didn't, you wouldn’t be here, and there's no way you could not have magic, what with your mother being who she was.”

His mother. Arthur's heart beat harder. He knew so little about her, but it seemed here she was well known by everyone he talked to. Perhaps Merlin could tell him more about her. “What about my mother? What do you know about her?”

“She was a great sorcerer. My mum always said Ygraine DuBois could have become a teacher at Camelot if she'd wanted to, or become one of the great magical scholars.”

“My mother was a witch.” Arthur tested the phrase.

“Well, we use the term sorcerer more now. A sort of politically correct thing,” Merlin said, waving a hand.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, so your mother being a talented sorcerer must mean you'll be.”

“I don't have magic.”

“Of course you do. Anyone can tell that.” Merlin smiled.

Arthur suspected Merlin was humouring him, so he changed the subject back to his mother. “What about my mother? And this Mr... Him.”

“I shouldn’t be the one to tell you.”

“Merlin, a few days ago I was at home wondering where to take my gap year. Now I'm on a train in some weird magical universe and people are talking about things I'm supposed to know about but don't,” Arthur didn't mind that he sounded a little desperate. “Please.”

Just then the owl that had been asleep in his cage squawked. Merlin looked at him.

“Looks like Archimedes thinks I should tell you, too,” he said.

“You called your owl Archimedes?”

“It's an old family name.”

There was an uncomfortable pause. “So are you going to take your owl's advice?” Arthur asked.

Merlin bit his lip before nodding. “Just don't tell anyone I told you,” he said.

“I promise.”

Merlin was still leaning forward, but not as much as before. He didn’t whisper, but kept his voice low. “Okay, the first thing you need to know is there are good sorcerers and bad sorcerers. Magic isn't good or evil it's how you use it and some people decide to use it for well, bad things.”

Merlin shuddered a little and clearly didn't want to elaborate on what the bad things actually were.

“Go on,” Arthur encouraged.

“Him was one of those. He had a lot of magic, more than a lot of other sorcerers, and thought magic gave him the power to rule others. He was an evil sorcerer who killed mundanes and sorcerers.” Merlin gave Arthur a look.

The pieces fell into place. “He killed my mother?”

“Yes. But you survived.”

“I survived?” Arthur could hear his heart beating in his ears. “You mean she was pregnant when he...”

Merlin nodded. “Your mother gave her life to protect you. She took the entire killing curse on herself. She traded her future for yours.”

“She died when I was born.”

“But you lived,” Merlin said, a little louder. “No one else who ever came up against him did.”

The idea was almost too fantastical for Arthur to comprehend. “What happened to him?”

“No one knows but after he killed your mother and tried to kill you, he disappeared. He’s not been seen for eighteen years. They think he's dead. Or they like to think he is.”

“So you're telling me, my mother was killed by an evil sorcerer?”

Merlin looked guilty. “I shouldn't have told you. I'm sorry, Arthur.”

“No. My father...My father never talks about her. I thought it was just too painful. The idea it's because she had magic. It's too hard to believe.”

Merlin offered him a sympathetic smile. “I know.” He pursed his lips. “I mean I don't know how hard it is to find out your mother had magic, but I found it hard to understand why not everyone has magic. It's a different world.”

“I belong there. I don't belong on a train heading to a magical university.”

“But you're here.”

“Very good at stating the obvious, Merlin.”

Merlin leaned back more. “Thank you,” he grinned.

Not wanting to dwell too much on this new knowledge Arthur changed the subject. “What about you? You have magic? Do your parents?”

“Yeah. My mum has low level magic, but my dad's a Dragon Lord. He breeds wyverns. We live on a dragon reserve. Just outside Ealdor.”

“What's a wyvern?”

“Erm...it's a type of dragon. I have a picture; hang on.”

As Arthur watched, Merlin made a strange sort of movement in the air with his hand and suddenly what looked like a photograph floated in front of the window.

“How did you do that?”

“Magic. Don't you have pictures?”

Arthur looked at the image. It appeared to be moving. He recognised the woman who had shown how to get on the platform: Merlin’s mother. Next to her was a man who looked a little like Merlin with a beard and long hair. They were standing between two grey creatures that did look a little like dragons. “Not ones like that.”

“That's my Dad with Cadwr and Angharat,” Merlin said, pointing to the man and then the creatures.

“He breeds them?”

“A lot of magical creatures are endangered. Dragons are really rare now. Dragon Lords are trying to save them.”

“What's a Dragon Lord?”

Merlin's face lit up with pride. “Oh, Dragon Lords can talk to the dragons, tame them. I can't. Not yet, but one day I will.”

“So you're a Dragon Lord?”

Merlin nodded, waving his hand to make the picture vanish. “Well, the son of one. The gift is passed from father to son.”

Arthur was full of more questions now he had finally found someone to answer them but before he could ask anything more, Merlin had picked up a small suitcase and was eyeing Arthur.

“What?”

“Are you hungry? My mum packed me more food than I can eat, and Archimedes doesn't really like cake.”

Realising he hadn't had anything to eat since that morning (it had to be well past lunchtime by now) and he was hungry, Arthur gratefully accepted. “Thank you, Merlin.”

Merlin picked out a large slice of cake from the suitcase and handed it to Arthur.

“This is good,”Arthur said as he munched on the soft sponge.

Merlin spoke with his mouth full as he tucked into his own slice. “Mum's not a bad cook. Does it all without magic too. She says too much magic is cheating.”

“How often do you cheat?”

“Not that often,” Merlin mumbled.

Arthur laughed, as he suspected from Merlin's slight blush he wasn't being entirely honest.

“Your mother was the one who helped me find the platform,” Arthur said. “Would you thank her for me?”

“I'll tell her in my first letter home.”

“Tell her I enjoy her cake too,” Arthur said. “How do you send letters?”

Merlin smiled. “Well there's transparting, owl or smoke.”

Arthur continued to eat his cake. “Tell me more,” he said.

They continued to talk as they ate. Once Arthur had started asking Merlin questions he couldn’t get Merlin to shut up. It seemed Merlin, having grown up with magic, didn’t really have much chance to talk about it with anyone, and his enthusiasm was infectious.

The journey seemed to fly by, and by the time the train came to a halt, Arthur finally knew more about the world he had entered. He still didn’t think he had magic, but at least now he could find out more about his mother and the world she had left behind not long before Arthur was born.

“We're here,” Merlin said, looking out of the window.

It was completely dark outside and Arthur couldn’t see a thing. “Are we?”

“Yes,” Merlin replied, standing up and opening his trunk. “I'll just need to put these away,” he said, obviously referring to the books scattered all over the seat.

“Do you need any help?” Arthur asked, willing to repay the kindness Merlin had shown him.

“No, it won't take long,” Merlin said.

Merlin waved his hands and Arthur noticed Merlin's eyes glow gold. Arthur watched as the books danced around and organised themselves into piles before neatly floating down into the trunk. As the last one went inside, the lid of the trunk closed and locked itself. Arthur wasn't sure he would ever get used to seeing magic used so casually.

“Ready?” Merlin asked.

Arthur gathered up his rucksack and trunk and steeled himself for what lay ahead. He thought he could now make out lights through the window, so at least they wouldn’t be stumbling around in the dark.

He smiled at Merlin. “Ready.”

There was as much of a crush getting off the train as there had been getting onto it. It seemed everyone else was eager to get off. It seemed he and Merlin were in the part of the train farthest from the door, so they had to queue up behind their peers. Merlin seemed very eager and Arthur was sure he could feel Merlin pushing in close to get a better view. Arthur was feeling apprehensive.

When they made it out onto the platform, there were more men dressed as knights, wearing chain mail and red tabards. It felt as if Arthur had stepped onto some sort of strange film set. The knights were directing people, but Arthur still felt lost.

“Come on,” Merlin said cheerfully. “We'll put our stuff in the carts and then we can get in the carriages.”

Arthur was relieved Merlin knew what to do. He followed Merlin off the platform and out of the small station to what looked like a dirt track. All along the track were horses and carts, as well as horses with small carriages. Lamps hung from the side of them. Arthur could already make out knights helping load trunks onto the carts, and fellow students getting into the carriages.

He followed Merlin to the nearest one.

“Hi Lancelot,” Merlin said to the knight helping to load it.

“Hello, Merlin; nice to see you again.”

“You know him?” Arthur asked.

“Oh yes. Arthur, this is Lancelot. Lancelot, this is Arthur Pendragon.”

Lancelot bowed his head. “An honour to meet you.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said hesitantly. Why it would be an honour to meet him he had no idea. “I think.”

“May I take your trunk?” Lancelot asked.

Normally Arthur would have told him he could manage, but Lancelot sounded so sincere that Arthur's automatic politeness kicked in. “Yes,” he said, hauling it toward him.

With what was obviously practised ease, Lancelot took the trunk and swung it up and over and onto the cart, pushing it along to join several others. Arthur was impressed; he knew how heavy it was.

“And your rucksack?” Lancelot asked.

Arthur was reluctant give it up. Unlike his trunk, it contained personal items that he'd brought from home. He'd clung onto it as a way of reminding him about the real world he'd had to leave behind. Although he hadn't really thought about it since talking with Merlin on the train.

“Here,” Arthur said, shrugging the straps off his shoulders and handing it over to Lancelot. “Be careful with it.”

Lancelot smiled. “Of course.”

Once Arthur's rucksack was safely on the cart, Lancelot turned to Merlin. “Your things, Merlin.” he said.

It looked as if Merlin was pouting. “Lancelot...”

“No magic until you reach Camelot,” Lancelot said, firmly. “You know that.”

“You're no fun,” Merlin replied, but his voice held no malice.

Arthur didn’t mention Merlin had openly used magic on the train. Maybe he was allowed to on the train. Or perhaps Merlin’s magic came so naturally he just used it without thinking. Arthur couldn't imagine that.

Lancelot helped Merlin’s trunk onto the cart along with his small suitcase. Before he handed over the birdcage that housed his owl, Merlin had a stern word with him.

“Now behave, Archimedes,” he said, as he handed the cage to Lancelot. “Be nice to the other owls.”

Arthur found himself smiling. Especially when Archimedes gave Merlin a look that plainly said 'of course I will be'. Not usually a fan of any sort of animal, Arthur was starting to like that bird. “If anything, those other owls will be jealous of him,” Arthur said.

Archimedes fluffed his feathers.

“Don't flatter him, Arthur,” Merlin said. “His ego is too big as it is.”

“You better get in a carriage,” Lancelot said. “They're already setting off.”

Around them, several fully-loaded carts were already beginning to move. Arthur saw their fellow students climbing into small, Victorianesque carriages, like something out of a costume drama.

“Yeah we should,” Merlin said, grabbing Arthur's hand. “Come on, Arthur. See you later Lancelot!”

“Be careful, Merlin,” Lancelot said. “Good luck, Arthur.”

Being dragged along Arthur thought he was going to need it. Merlin took him down the line of carriages, peeking inside each one. Arthur began to notice that none of the carriages actually had drivers. He was going to ask Merlin about that when he was yanked inside the one they had just been looking at.

“Should I close the door?” Arthur asked.

The carriage was small and the seat only just big enough for the two of them squashed up together their legs touching. It was a little warm inside, which Arthur decided had to be the cramped conditions. He tried not to glance down at where his jeans were pressed against Merlin's shabby brown trousers.

“That's a good idea,” Merlin said, breaking Arthur out of his reverie.

Arthur nodded and shut the door. The moment he did so, the carriage set off. Merlin was smiling and kept stealing glances out of the small window next to him.

“I can't believe we're going to be in Camelot soon,” he said. “I've been waiting to come here to study for years.”

“I'd never heard of it a few days ago,” Arthur said. “Is it really that good?”

“It's the foremost magical university in the world. Sorcerers from all over the world want to be accepted to study here.”

“I never applied.”

“Most of us don't have to. If your ancestors went to Camelot and you have magic you automatically get a letter.”

“What's it like?” Arthur asked. “I mean what sort of things do you learn?”

“Everything to do with magic.”

“Obviously.”

Merlin gave Arthur a look. “How to control your magic, how to really use it. Everything from elemental magic to healing magic. There are lots of different ways you can use it.”

“So there aren't exams?” Arthur asked, hopefully.

“Yes but practical ones. You get judged on control and spell casting.”

“If I even get that far,” Arthur muttered.

Merlin opened his mouth to reply when the carriage stopped.

“We're here,” Arthur said, opening the door and climbing out, not giving Merlin a chance to say anything.

As he climbed out, Arthur could see they were in front of what could only be described as a castle. Huge stone walls loomed above them, although Arthur couldn’t see much detail in the dark. Merlin was standing beside him, craning his neck upward, taking in the view.

“Amazing,” he said quietly.

“Come on new students, we're waiting for you inside,” came a voice.

Arthur turned around to see another knight. Merlin was waving at him and the knight offered a little wave back.

“How do you know these people?” Arthur asked.

“I'll tell you later,” Merlin whispered back.

Everyone shuffled forward into a small group. Students jostled each other hoping to get a good look at the castle and what lay beyond. Arthur found he couldn’t help but do the same. Next to him Merlin seemed to be standing on his tiptoes.

“I'm Gwaine,” said the knight. “Follow me please and try and keep up.”

The crowd of students organised itself into a line of pairs. Naturally, Merlin walked next to Arthur. They were led along the wall, then through a large wooden door that opened before them, and across a cobblestone courtyard. Arthur could appreciate the true scale of the castle, no university he knew about could have been this impressive. Not even Oxford.

They were led through another large wooden door, and along corridors and hallways lit by torches. The flames cast ominous shadows on the walls, and made Arthur think about Gothic horror films like Dracula. The odd carved gargoyles he kept seeing didn't help.

Eventually, they stopped outside yet another wooden door. In front of it stood Gaius. The same Gaius Arthur had left behind hours earlier. Arthur imagined he'd done that strange transporting thing to get there before him.

“Thank you, Gwaine,” Gaius said.

“No problem, Professor,” Gwaine replied and he went off down a corridor to the side.

Gaius addressed the assembled students. “Welcome to Camelot,” he said. “It's good to see you all here safely. Shortly you will enter the Great Hall. There you will be sorted into your colleges: Valerian, Sage, Yarrow, and Thyme. Professor Kilgarrah will be overseeing everything. Afterwards, you will be escorted to your chambers. The rest of the students will arrive later in the week, so you will have a few days to familiarise yourself with Camelot. Any questions?”

Whilst there were several murmurs, there were no questions.

“Colleges?” Arthur asked Merlin.

“Yes. Each college focuses on a particular magical talent. I'm hoping to be in Valerian like my parents. They might disown me if I'm not.”

“Do you know which college my mother was in?” Arthur asked, thinking it would be the only way to have a preference.

“Valerian,” Merlin said. “It's a good college. You don't want to end up in Thyme. That's the one he was in.”

Arthur nodded, feeling nervous. His head was aching a little at the temples and his stomach was doing flip flops. He hadn't been this nervous on his first day of school. As the doors opened, Arthur told himself to keep calm. Everything had been fine so far.

As they entered the hall, Arthur caught sight of a young boy in amongst the crowd of students. He couldn’t have been much more than twelve or thirteen. He briefly fixed Arthur with a cold stare and an odd smile, before he turned away.

Looking forward Arthur saw the name great hall wasn't an exaggeration. It was a combination of stone and intricately carved wood. There were large tall windows that almost reached to the ornate wooden ceiling that was painted with symbols and scenes of the night sky. Or what looked like paint. As Arthur looked more closely it seemed to move.

He was distracted by this long enough that he had barely noticed the large dragon at the end of the hall. The creature had to be sixty foot long, and was very real from the way it moved. That would explain why the floor was stone. It would have to be in order to support the creature’s weight.

Coming closer, Arthur saw the dragon had brown scales with an odd, almost golden, glow. Then there were the sharp talons; Arthur decided he didn't want to be on the receiving end of those. He could barely comprehend that he was seeing a real live breathing dragon.

“Students of Camelot,” the dragon said. Apparently it could speak. “Welcome. I am Professor Kilgarrah.”

This was the head of the university? It did make sense to choose a dragon for the role. There was no way anyone would argue with a dragon with teeth that sharp.

“You all have a destiny. Your time here will be to find that destiny. I hope you find it useful.”

The students had gone quiet, seemingly in awe.

“When I call your name you will stand in front of me one by one. I will then assign you to a college.”

The group of students shifted expectantly.

The dragon closed his eyes and then opened them. “Vivian Lady,” he said.

A blonde girl stepped forward.

“Come closer.”

The girl, Vivian, didn't seem to be very happy about having to be first and seemed nervous. She stepped forward more and the dragon smiled. Then he closed his eyes and breathed lightly on her. A stream of what looked like an icy wind hit Vivian, and her eyes closed. A few moments of silence before the dragon opened his eyes.

“Yarrow,” he announced. “Please stand with Professor Alice Mandrake.”

Vivian didn't seem to be very happy at all and practically stomped off to stand near an older lady with a kindly face.

“Sophia Sidhe,” the dragon announced.

The same thing happened, as the dragon blew on Sophia. Moments later he announced the verdict. “Sage,” he said. “Please stand with Professor Nimueh Lake.”

Sophia didn't seem pleased with her selection either. She went to stand with a woman with dark hair who barely looked old enough to be a student, never mind a professor.

The next candidate was an Elena Godwin. She was sorted into Valerian and told to stand with Gaius. She was also blonde and Arthur wondered if it was a pattern forming. She seemed pleased with the selection.

“Mordred Druid,” the dragon said.

The young boy Arthur had seen earlier stepped forward.

“Is he old enough?” Arthur whispered to Merlin.

“Some people get an early letter,” Merlin said. He didn't sound happy about it.

“Thyme!” The Dragon boomed. “Stand with Professor Edwin Muirden.”

The boy gave that odd smile again, and went to stand with a man with a terribly scarred face. Arthur shivered as the man glanced his way.

Several other students were sorted. Yarrow gained a few male students, and a couple more ended up in Sage. Valerian had a few more girls join Elena. Only two more joined Mordred in Thyme. A few male students joined Sage.

“Gilli Ring,” the dragon called.

A tall young man, who looked as awkward as Arthur felt, stepped forward. He seemed nervous, but he didn't flinch as the dragon breathed on him.

“Valerian!” the dragon announced.

There were smiles all around. Gilli looked surprised but pleased.

Arthur was wondering when his turn would come, when the dragon called out another name.

“Merlin Emrys.”

The other students went oddly quiet. Arthur wondered why. He noticed that Merlin didn’t show any fear when approaching the dragon, but then his father was a Dragon Lord. He'd probably met plenty of dragons before.

As the dragon breathed on Merlin, Arthur felt a cold shiver run up his spine. His heart pounded as he waited to see if Merlin had got his college of choice.

“Valerian!” the dragon announced.

Those that had already been sorted there seemed delighted, and Merlin was greeted with handshakes and back slaps. He was smiling, and Arthur really hoped he'd be able to join Merlin.

“Arthur Pendragon!” the dragon called.

Taking a deep breath Arthur stepped forward. As he met the dragon's eyes, he saw something odd reflected there, like a fuzzy image he couldn’t make out. The rest of the hall was completely hushed as he stepped forward. He closed his eyes before the dragon's breath even touched him.

“How like your mother you are,” the dragon said.

Arthur opened his eyes a little. He could hear the dragon chuckle, but it didn't look as though the dragon was actually moving his lips.

“Yes you have a great destiny, yet you cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. The other you have already met.”

Arthur was very confused but kept quiet and closed his eyes tightly. Please put in me in Valerian, he thought.

“There is nowhere else you can be,” the dragon said. “Valerian!”

Arthur opened his eyes to see the Valerian students jumping up and down and clapping madly. None more so than Merlin who had a big grin on his face. Arthur hurried over to them.

“I never thought we'd get you,” Elena said.

“It's brilliant,” Gilli added.

Arthur smiled politely as Merlin leaned close. “I knew you'd be in Valerian,” he said.

Arthur gave him a smile. He hadn't a clue what the dragon had been talking about but he knew the Camelot experience was going to be a lot better being close to Merlin.

Once the rest of the selection had been completed the colleges stood more or less equal with a mix of boys and girls. Arthur liked everyone he had met in Valerian. They all seemed genuine and friendly. He tried his best to be polite. Merlin was already charming them and Arthur couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Of who, he wasn’t sure.

“You will be led to your chambers now,” the dragon said.

“Follow me please, Valerian students,” Gaius said, leading the way out of the hall.

“I hope we get to share chambers,” Merlin said as he and Arthur walked out together. “It's two to a room.”

Arthur was secretly hoping he'd be able to share with Merlin too. Although given the fact he was feeling warm again now he was with Merlin, he wasn't sure it was such a brilliant idea.

Gaius led them along corridors and up staircases. It was such a twisty turning route that Arthur was sure he'd forget it. Perhaps he could ask Gaius for a map. He had a feeling he would need it; the castle was huge and seemingly never-ending.

“Here we are,” Gaius said, as they stopped at one end of a corridor. “These will be your chambers for the time you spend here. I expect you to keep them in order.” He looked pointedly at Merlin.

“Now let's see where you have been assigned.”

Looking at each door Arthur noticed each one had two brass plates with the names of the students who had been assigned to it. Already? They had just been designated as students of this college and their names were on the doors? It was very strange.

“Elena and Gilli,” Gaius said as he read out the nameplates on the nearest door.

“Excellent. I'm sure we'll have fun,” Elena said to the nervous looking Gilli.

He just smiled back. “Yes, I'm sure we shall.”

As they went along the corridor, Arthur hoped his name wouldn't be read out unless it was in conjunction with Merlin’s. He'd been lucky so far, he hoped that luck would hold.

“Arthur and Merlin,” Gaius said. “This is yours.”

“Yes,” Merlin said quietly.

“Try to keep it tidy, Merlin. I'm sure Arthur won't appreciate your clothes all over the floor.”

“Yes, Gaius.”

“Do you know everyone here?” Arthur asked.

Merlin looked sheepish. “Gaius is my Uncle,” he said. “I used to come here a lot until a few years ago.”

That explained things, Arthur thought. At least Merlin didn't have magical powers of knowing everyone. That would have been too weird.

Merlin opened the door to their new room. Or chambers as they seemed to be called here. To Arthur's surprise, their things were already laid out on the two, rather large, beds. They weren’t four posters, but they were old and quite ornately carved. The floor was stone, but covered with several red rugs that had seen better days.

Immediately Merlin went over to what had to be his bed as it had his trunk on it. He opened it and books and items of clothing began to float out and land on the floor.

“Should they be doing that?” Arthur asked.

“I'll put them away in a minute, Merlin replied.

Arthur was doubtful. There were several cupboards and couple of chests of drawers across from the bed. Two desks were situated on one side of the room, next to a window. Well, what Arthur presumed was a window given the curtains were drawn.

As Merlin continued to empty his trunk haphazardly, Arthur thought perhaps he should do something with his own. Except he had no idea how to unlock the darn thing. He rattled the padlock to see if it was loose, but it wasn't and refused to give even a little. As he glanced over at Merlin in the middle of the growing pile of his things, he decided that if Merlin was going to completely mess up their chambers, he could at least help Arthur with the lock.

“Merlin, are you going to put any of that away?” he asked.

Merlin glanced down. “Yeah, but I don't need to do it now.”

“Then you can help me open my trunk,” Arthur said.

“It's just a trunk, Arthur,” Merlin said as he picked his way through his clothes and books, and came over to Arthur's side.

“Yes, but it has a padlock, and I don't have the key.”

“Why would you need a key?” Merlin waved a hand over the padlock, and it fell open; he hadn't even had to say anything.

“Maybe because I don’t have magic,” Arthur replied.

Merlin sighed. “Arthur...”

“Let's just unpack,” Arthur said. “And put our things away,” he added.

Arthur was surprised how much stuff had fitted in his trunk; books, clothes, everything he'd need. The thing seemed almost bottomless. In fact, Arthur did stick a hand in at one point and couldn't touch the bottom. It was more than a little unnerving.

It was Arthur's suggestion to divide up the storage space. He put his things away quickly and neatly, everything folded or hung up in a proper place. Books on the desk, clothes in the wardrobes and drawers. Merlin, on the other hand, took a much more haphazard approach to putting things away, more in bundles and piles than any other scheme.

“Were you born in a barn, Merlin?” Arthur asked as he observed Merlin's method of tidying and organisation.

“It was a cave, actually,” Merlin replied.

“A cave?”

Merlin nodded, as if there was nothing unusual about this.

“Are lots of people born in caves?” Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. “No. It depends where they live.”

“And you lived in a cave.”

“Yes. It was a nice cave,” Merlin said, defensively. “It had a bed and a sink.”

“I'm not going to think less of you for living in a cave, Merlin.”

Merlin smiled. “Good, because it's a great place to live. We had to move into a house a few years ago. Mum said she wanted a proper oven. ”

Arthur wasn't convinced a cave would be a great place to live, and was wondering about asking Merlin if he had had a shower or a bath in his cave, when a scroll suddenly appeared before him out of thin air. Arthur stepped back. He wasn't used to magic at all. He didn't think he'd ever get used to it.

“Merlin?”

Of course Merlin would find it perfectly normal, and he grabbed the scroll out of the air where it was floating, pulled off the ribbon, and read it.

“Evening meal is served in the college hall,” Merlin said.

“Where's the college hall?” Arthur asked, remembering how confusing the layout of the castle was.

“I don't know,” Merlin said, “but there's a map on here.”

He turned the scroll around and Arthur could see a map fading in and out, as if the ink was disappearing and then reappearing. “And you can read this?”Arthur asked.

“Of course!”

“You're leading the way then.”

As it turned out Merlin couldn’t completely read the map, which Arthur discovered when they ended up in several corridors that were dead ends. However, once they had negotiated that, two spiral staircases, and three doors that moved, they found themselves in the college hall.

It was apparently the hall used by the college for meal and study times. It was smaller than the Great Hall, with a large fireplace on one side. It was made entirely from white stone, and dragons were carved into the walls. Several wooden benches were laid out with long tables. Most of their fellow students were already seated around one.

Arthur and Merlin joined them. Luckily there was a space near Gilli and Elena, and Arthur and Merlin sat down together. As they did so their fingers brushed and Arthur looked down wondering how easy it would be to twine his fingers around Merlin’s. Luckily, Gaius coughed, and Arthur turned his attention to where the professor stood at the end of the table.

“I hope you've all had a chance to settle in,” Gaius said, smiling.

The students all murmured affirmative replies.

“Good. Now dinner will be served shortly, but before that I'd like to mention a few things. Firstly, as you know as first year students you will be doing standard set lectures. Your timetable will be delivered to your rooms by seven o'clock tomorrow morning. Your first lecture will begin at nine o'clock sharp. It is important that you are on time.”

Arthur hoped Gaius wasn't referring to himself and Merlin following their late arrival.

“Secondly, you are welcome to study in your chambers or here in the hall. It is open for student use from six am until midnight. Your meals are at set times and will be on your timetable. Finally, the other students will be arriving in a few days. There is a fresher's fayre early next week where you'll have the chance to choose extracurricular activities.”

So far, Camelot sounded like a normal university, Arthur thought. Albeit one with weird maps and moving doors.

“Dinner is served, please enjoy.”

Gaius waved his arms in a circular motion and the tables filled with food. There were cooked joints of meat, vegetables, bread, cheese and even ice cream. Arthur wasn’t sure where to start, but his fellow students wasted no time tucking in.

“You should try the mashed potato,” Merlin said, his mouth full.

Arthur put a large spoonful on his plate and tried it. It did taste good. He tried some of the pork, and the lamb. There was even gravy, apple sauce and mint sauce. It was all very civilised.

As they ate, everybody asked questions about each other's backgrounds.

“My mother was a sorceress,” Elena said. “I never knew her, but she had the best spells for creating horses. She was an excellent horse rider. My father was so proud when I found out I had her gifts. He barely has any magic at all.”

“I never knew my mother,” Arthur offered. “My father doesn't have any magic.”

“I didn’t know mine did,” Gilli said, quietly. “He never used it. He preferred to live like a mundane.”

Arthur wasn't sure what to say. He'd lived as 'a mundane' all his life.

“I'm sure he had good reasons,” Merlin said.

Gilli nodded. “Maybe.”

“What about you, Merlin?” Elena asked.

“Dragon Lord father, sorceress mother.”

“A Dragon Lord, how exciting,” Elena said excitedly, and began to engage Merlin in dragon related conversation.

Arthur felt just a little bit jealous of the attention she was paying to Merlin. Not out of jealousy that she wasn't speaking to him but because Merlin was his friend. Elena was nice enough though, and Arthur liked her. He also liked Gilli, even if he did seem to be quiet compared to the rest of them.

Part way through the meal Gwaine and Lancelot appeared, and came to chat with Merlin. Gwaine stole a chicken drumstick from Merlin’s plate.

“So, Merlin, who did you get for a roomie?” he asked, taking a bite.

“Arthur Pendragon” Merlin said, indicating Arthur.

Arthur forced himself to offer a smile. He was more than a little jealous of the two men who Merlin clearly knew quite well. Two attractive men who Merlin knew quite well. Really, he shouldn't be getting jealous over his room mate's friends. There was no reason to be, Arthur had his own chance to get to know Merlin.

“Ah, Arthur Pendragon,” Gwaine said, still eating. “The little mundane who ended up here.”

“Gwaine!” Merlin hissed.

“It's good to meet you, Arthur,” Lancelot said with genuine warmth.

“You too. Both of you. You've known Merlin long?”

Gwaine got Merlin into a headlock. “Years,” he said. “This wizard was running riot when the two of us were green knights just learning to hold a sword.”

“He's trouble then?” Arthur asked.

Gwaine let Merlin go. “No, he's a great sorcerer and a good person but if you upset him you'll have to answer to us.”

“Gwaine! Arthur is not going to upset me.”

“I honestly have no intention of upsetting Merlin,” Arthur said firmly. “Merlin's lucky to have friends like you.”

He was lucky. Arthur's friends were mostly ones he played a bit of footie with, or played computer games with. He hadn't thought about his friends since he'd left home with Gaius. He'd thought about his father and Morgana but what his friends would think had never really occurred to him.

Gwaine seemed to appreciate what Arthur was saying. “All right then,” he said.

“We should be getting back on patrol,” Lancelot said. “It was good to see you, Merlin. And nice to meet you, Arthur.”

“Likewise.”

“He's just pining until his girlfriend gets back in a few days,” Gwaine whispered. “Nice girl Gwen and she stops Lancelot from being too serious.”

Merlin grinned. “Stay out of trouble.”

Gwaine and Lancelot walked off. “Don't we always?” Gwaine called.

“You know the knights?” Gilli asked in awe as they went out of earshot.

“Not all of them,” Merlin replied.

“It's great,” Gilli said. “I feel a little bit jealous.”

Merlin seemed embarrassed so Arthur tried changing the subject. Except no one had really heard of football.

Eventually, once dinner was over, the students drifted back to their rooms to get ready for their early start the next morning. Arthur walked back with Merlin.

“Your friends seem nice,” he said as a conversation starter.

“Don't mind Gwaine,” Merlin replied. “He's like my big brother, always looking out for me. Not that I need protecting. I have magic.”

“I believe you.”

Merlin smiled and Arthur tried to ignore the fact he was most definitely developing a crush on Merlin. He'd even been relieved when Merlin hadn't said Gwaine was his boyfriend. Really, Arthur was starting to wonder about his priorities.

When they got back to their room, well chambers, they had to change. Luckily, there was a screen at one end, so they took it in turns to go behind it and change. Arthur was glad that he wouldn't be distracted by any part of a naked Merlin. His head was starting to throb again, and by the time he was in bed he couldn't help rubbing his temples.

“Are you okay?” Merlin called from his bed.

“Headache,” Arthur replied.

“Pent up magic,” Merlin said, getting out of bed. “You really need to release it before you blow something up.”

“It's not magic,” Arthur said, through gritted teeth.

Rolling his eyes Merlin came over to the bed. “It's magic,” he said, firmly. He put his hand on Arthur's forehead.

Panicking a little about having Merlin in such close contact Arthur was perhaps a little sharp with him. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you. Unless you want to go to bed with a headache?”

“I don't.”

Merlin closed his eyes and Arthur began to feel a tingling in his forehead. It was pleasant, and as he closed his eyes he was sure he could see gold swirling behind his closed eyelids. His head began to feel lighter, and the pain slowly began to disappear as if it was being drained away.

Then everything went dark, and Arthur opened his eyes as he felt Merlin's hand move away. “That feels better,” he said.

“Gaius taught me how to do that,” Merlin said. “I used to get pain all the time from too much magic. You always have magic, but if you don't use it it grows and that's when it starts to hurt.”

“Whatever it was it's better,” Arthur said. He wasn't so willing to accept the idea of magic. If he actually had magic he was sure it would have found some way out before. He thought about the glass on his father's desk but shook his head. He didn’t have magic.

******************************************************************************

The next morning Arthur woke up first. It took him a moment to realise where he was. He glanced across at Merlin's bed. Merlin was still sound asleep, he looked quite cute lying there, looking so innocent. Arthur knew it was rude to stare but he couldn’t help it. That was when the scroll landed on his head.

“Ow!” he said, picking it up from the bed where it had eventually landed.

Merlin was now awake, having also been awoken by a falling scroll. “Our timetable,” he said excitedly as he read it. “Oh look, our first lecture is elemental magic.”

Arthur glanced down and saw times and rooms written down in an elaborate script, along with what presumably were the subjects for the lectures. There were a few other things listed, such as an introduction to the library after lunch. It looked like lunch was their only break throughout the day. Arthur had been hoping they would at least ease into it.

“There's a lot on here.”

“Yeah, but it's mostly simple introductory stuff and we won't get any extra study yet.”

“As long as I don't have to write dozens of thousand word essays.”

“Oh no, it will be about measuring how much magic you have.”

Arthur's heart sank. He might have preferred to write dozens of thousand word essays than to suffer the humiliation of not showing any magical ability whatsoever.

They got washed and dressed and headed down to the hall for breakfast. Arthur wasn't really very hungry, but he let Merlin get him some bacon and eggs anyway. They sat with Elena and Gilli who were busy studying their timetables.

“I was hoping that we'd get 'Introduction to Magical Creatures' as our first lecture,” Elena said. “I've been practising how to turn a frog blue.”

“Why would want to turn a frog blue?” Arthur asked.

“Why not? You might want one to match your shoes.”

“Do people actually wear frogs?” Arthur whispered to Merlin.

“It's gone out of fashion these days,” Merlin replied. “Toads are more fashionable now.”

Arthur remembered he had once heard odd croaking noises from Morgana's bedroom. He wondered if his sister did actually go out wearing frogs or toads. He would ask her, but it wasn't as if he could call her on his mobile. Nothing electronic seemed to work in Camelot. A shame, since he had wanted to listen to his iPod.

Once breakfast was over, the four of them headed to their lecture together. There was safety in numbers. According to Merlin Professor Lake had something of a fearsome reputation.

They walked through the College and into the main castle. Here too, doorways moved and staircases became spiralled as they walked up or down them. It turned out that Gilli and Elena were quite good at map reading, so they came across were fewer dead ends than if Merlin and Arthur had been navigating.

Professor Lake's rooms were on the far side of the castle in what was termed the 'Blessed Isle' annexe. They made their way into what would be considered a classroom rather than a lecture hall. There were long work tables, and bench seats lined up in rows. There was one window at the far end, and the rest of the room was lit by a variety of candles.

Several students were already there. Arthur recognised Sophia and Mordred, who offered another odd smile. Not sure of how to react, Arthur followed his friends to a bench at the front, where there was enough room for the four of them to sit. Gilli sat at one end, next to Elena, then Merlin sat next to her, and Arthur was at the other end.

Luckily, they had arrived in plenty of time as Vivian bustled in behind them. Looking around, Arthur tried to pick out familiar faces. All the Colleges had lectures together as all students were at the same level. It was only in later years that Colleges ran their own timetables.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash and the young looking professor appeared. She wore a red dress and had rather piercing blue eyes.

“Welcome to Camelot,” she said. “I'm Professor Nimueh Lake; Professor of Elemental Magic. Elemental Magic is one of the most important magicks to master and I expect you all to make the required effort.”

Everyone murmured quietly in the affirmative.

“Good. Now to begin can anyone tell me what the elements are?” Professor Nimueh asked as she walked up and down the classroom. She paused in front of Arthur. “Perhaps you, Arthur Pendragon. Can you tell me what the elements are?”

Arthur was surprised that she even knew his name. He felt completely out of his depth but decided to hazard a guess. “Erm.. is it something to do with the periodic table?”

She sighed. “I see your mundane education has taught you little. Anyone else?”

Next to Arthur Merlin held his hand up.

Nimueh turned to him “Yes, Merlin?”

“There are four elements: water, earth, fire and air.”

“Very good, Merlin.” She smiled. “This year we will be focussing on one of the most destructive of the elements; fire.”

She strode to the backboard at the front of the classroom. “I will be testing you on each of the elements. Before we move onto controlling them you must first summon them.” Nimueh waved a hand, and the chalk began to write on the blackboard of its own accord. “The spell for fire is a very simple one: forbærnen,” she said, pointing to the newly formed word. “Repeat after me; forbærnen.”

Arthur joined in with his fellow students. “Forbærnen.”

Suddenly the bit of the bench next to Arthur caught fire, and Merlin began frantically waving his arms around.

“Sorry!” he said, as he unsuccessfully tried to out the fire out.

Nimueh came over and waved a hand over the fire. “Acwence.”

Immediately the fire was extinguished.

Merlin smiled sheepishly. “I'm sorry,” he said.

Nimueh smiled. “There's no need to apologise, Merlin.” She turned to address the group. “Mr Emrys has accidentally demonstrated what we're going to be doing today.”

She clapped her hands and a small pile of twigs appeared before each student. “Before each of you is a small pile of wood. When I tell you yo I want you to hold your hand over it and say the word 'forbærnen'. It may take a few attempts. We can't all be as powerful as Merlin here.”

Everyone nodded.

“Then begin, please.”

One by one the students held out their hands and said the words. Mordred lit his almost before Nimueh had finished speaking. Merlin managed it (again) without any effort. Gilli got his to light almost immediately. Sophia managed it on a second try. It wasn’t long before Elena had a small glowing fire too. Vivian took a little while longer.

Soon the classroom was filled with the smell of burning as flames flickered in front of the students giving the whole place a golden glow. All the piles were burning well, except for the pile in front of Arthur. It remained completely unburnt without even a flicker of smoke to suggest any success.

Arthur was trying; he was. He tried to will flames to suddenly take hold. He kept saying the right word, altering his delivery to see if the way he said the word had any effect; it didn't. Feeling morose he slumped back in his seat. Now he would be exposed to the rest of his classmates as a fraud.

“Arthur? You're having trouble?” Nimueh asked.

Arthur nodded. “I can't do it.”

“Try again,” Nimueh encouraged.

Once more Arthur held out his hand. “Forbærnen,” he said.

Again nothing happened. Nimueh looked concerned.

Merlin coughed. “It's my fault, Professor,” he said. “Arthur had a headache last night and I helped him drain some excess magic. I might have drained too much.”

“Your hand please, Arthur.”

Reluctantly Arthur held out his hand. Nimueh's hands felt cool as she cradled it between hers. She closed her eyes and Arthur felt a slight hum of something under his skin. Then the feeling was gone.

“Hmmmm no, Merlin, you didn't drain too much. Arthur has more than enough magic for this spell. Try it again.”

Arthur tried three more times without success. Nimueh looked puzzled. For the rest of the lecture Arthur had to sit there as he watched his peers set paper on fire, cause earth to smoulder and try to conjure flames on their palms (only Merlin and Mordred managed that with any real success).

There wasn't much for Arthur to do. Merlin kept talking to him, encouraging him, and Arthur appreciated it, but he felt sick. For a moment he'd thought he'd belonged in Camelot, but clearly he didn't. Sooner or later Professor Nimueh would tell Gaius about Arthur's failure and he would be whisked off back to his old life, and he'd never get to see Merlin again.

That thought hurt and Arthur hated when the lecture was over. It meant he was a step closer to being sent away from Camelot.

As they filed out Nimueh called out to Merlin. “Merlin, I'd like a word with you. It won’t take long.”

Merlin shrugged at Arthur who went to wait outside with Elena and Gilli, both of whom seemed rather pleased with how it had all gone.

“I never thought I'd get to set things on fire,” Elena said. “My father never even let me try. I think he was worried it would get out of control.”

“Nor did mine,” Gilli said. “That was fun.”

“Oh, sorry, Arthur,” Elena said, as she noticed him. “Maybe elemental magic isn't your talent. I'm sure you'll do better at the other disciplines.”

“Thanks,” Arthur said. He was fairly sure that he would be just as useless at the other magicks as he was at elemental magic.

Merlin reappeared shortly afterwards and they headed to their next lecture: 'An Introduction to Healing Magic' by Professor Gaius.

Professor Gaius's rooms were filled with bottles, brewing equipment, and various other odd items. Herbs hung from the ceiling, giving the whole room a nice pleasant smell. It also helped covered yp the acrid smell for the various things Gaius seemed to be burning.

Luckily for Arthur, no actual magic was involved. Gaius, it seemed, wanted them to familiarise themselves with theory first.

“Healing Magic can do a lot of good,” he said. “But if you get it wrong the consequences can be severe.”

Although Gaius droned on a little, and there was a lot of reading involved, Arthur at least felt relieved he wouldn't suffer any further humiliation from trying to do magic. This was more the type of lecture he would have envisaged in a university. He was at least able to concentrate, unlike Merlin who he had to nudge a few times to keep him awake.

“Sorry about that,” Merlin said as they walked to lunch. “I've heard Gaius give that lecture about fifty times by now.”

“You have?”

“He's been giving it to me since I was old enough to pick herbs. He's always wanted me to follow in his footsteps.”

“Will you?” Arthur asked, remembering Merlin's love of dragons.

“I like it, and it's interesting but...”

“It's not dragons?”

“No.”

At lunch Arthur sat with Merlin, Elena, and Gilli.

“You must be very powerful to do that Elemental spell,” Elena said, bringing the conversation back to their first lecture. She seemed to have really enjoyed it.

“You did it without trying,” Gilli added.

“I just have a lot of magic,” Merlin said.

“You're a supernatural, aren't you?” Gilli asked.

Arthur was puzzled by the term. “What's a super-natural?”

“An exceptionally talented wizard,” Elena said. “Someone with unlimited magic, who can draw it from the very earth itself. Only one in every ten thousand witches or wizards are supposed to be that gifted.”

“And you are?” Arthur asked Merlin.

He nodded. “A bit, yeah.”

Now the reactions of the students in the hall when they had first arrived began to make sense.

“I used to come here for lessons when I was little,” Merlin told them.

“So, is there anything you can teach us?” Elena asked.

Arthur felt another flare of jealousy. It seemed there was a vast gulf between him and Merlin; magic-wise. Elena and Gilli could talk to him on a level that Arthur would never be able to. Why on earth would a powerful sorcerer like Merlin even want to be friends with a mundane like Arthur?

Merlin didn't talk much, he obviously didn't feel very comfortable. He gave brief answers about what he had been taught, but didn't go into detail. Again Arthur decided to come to Merlin's rescue, if only because he was tired of seeing the awestruck looks on Gilli and Elena's faces. He asked more generally about education in the magical world, and how it differed from his own mundane upbringing.

“Thank you,” Merlin mouthed, as Elena went into great detail about her horse riding lessons.

The distraction was welcome for Arthur as he gleaned what information he could. He wondered if they would wipe his memory before sending him back home. He hadn't felt at all hungry and, by the time lunch was over, he had barely eaten anything.

“Are you all right?” Merlin asked, as they made their way to the library for their 'Bibliographic Introduction.' “You didn't eat much.”

“I'm going to be thrown out,” Arthur said.

“No you're not! Of course you're not! You just need some time.”

Arthur appreciated Merlin's encouragement but that didn't alter the truth. “I'm just a mundane, Merlin.”

Merlin grabbed his hand. Arthur felt his whole body feel warm and tingly. It was nice. “No, you're not. Really.”

Then Merlin let his hand go, and Arthur felt cold again.

The library tour turned out to be boring, although Arthur wasn't paying it much attention. He was thinking about Merlin, and about how he might never see him after the day was over. Would he even get to remember him?

Geoffrey gave them a tour of the library, although it appeared that he wasn't sure where half the volumes were located. He also gave some droning lectures on the proper treatment of books but it seemed that generally, if you wanted something, you would ask for it.

Arthur stared up at the dusty volumes and wondered if his mother had ever read any of them. She would have walked in the library he was currently in. At least he had got to see where she'd gone to university.

After the library tour was the final proper lecture of the day: 'An Introduction to Dark Magic'. Arthur wasn't looking forward to it, especially since dark magic was the cause of his mother's death.

“They don’t really teach us dark magic,” Gilli said, as if reading his mind. “Just how to recognise it and fight against it.”

“It didn't help my mother,” Arthur said, sadly.

“You're here aren't you?” Gilli asked. Perhaps he had a point.

The lecture was taken by Professor Edwin Muirden, the scarred man who was in charge of Thyme College. Arthur didn't like him at all. He got a funny feeling every time the professor spoke. It was all theory for the moment, but that didn’t stop the odd creeping sensation Arthur felt throughout the entire lecture. His temples throbbed.

By the time it was over Arthur's head was pounding. He had only absorbed the bare basics about what dark magic was. It was the darkest part of the soul, it drew power on negative emotions, corrupted the soul, and yet, in doing so, gave great power. Now Arthur understood why his mother would have stood against it.

“Arthur?” Merlin asked, touching Arthur's shoulder.

“Just a headache,” Arthur said.

“Come on, I'll take you back to our chambers,” Merlin said, putting an arm around him. Just that light touch made Arthur feel better. Slowly his headache dissipated, and it was all but gone by the time they were in the College building.

They made it back to their chambers in one piece and Arthur flopped onto his bed. Not that it would be his bed for much longer. He felt tears prickling behind his eyes, but he wasn't going to cry. He would cherish the memories of his few days in this other world. Perhaps it would make a good story to tell his children.

He hadn't realised he had closed his eyes until he felt another weight on the bed. He opened them to see Merlin looking at him. “Arthur? Do you want me to fetch Gaius?”

“What for? So he can make me pack?”

“Why would he make you pack?”

“I don’t belong here,” Arthur said. “I don't have magic.”

Merlin’s hand touched his again. “You do. I know you do.”

“I couldn’t say a simple spell everyone else could do. I'm a fraud.”

“No.” Merlin said. “You're not.”

“I'm sorry,” Arthur said, sadly.

Merlin was looking at him with pity and disappointment. No wonder. Merlin was a powerful sorcerer, finally where he belonged, and the first friend he'd made was a fraud. Arthur wouldn’t blame Merlin for not even wanting to see Arthur again. Still, he liked Merlin; really liked him. If he wasn't going to see Merlin again anyway surely there wouldn't be any harm in one kiss? One last goodbye.

He pulled Merlin down and their lips pressed together with a bit too much pressure. It wasn't romantic and caused Merlin to topple over on top of Arthur, but Arthur didn't care and he tried again, this time with less pressure as he met Merlin's lips. It was a gentle, quick kiss, but it felt wonderful.

“You're not apologising for that, Arthur,” Merlin said. “I thought I was going to have to wait until you got drunk at the freshers fayre.”

“I won't be here,” he said. “Professor Lake's probably already told Gaius I don’t have magic.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss Arthur again. This time, the tip of Merlin's tongue touched Arthur's lips and the kiss became hot and wet, and Arthur found himself pulling Merlin even closer.

“You do have magic,” Merlin said, as he pulled back. “I wasn't supposed to tell you yet but Nimueh wants me to give you extra tutoring.”

“That's what she wanted to talk to you about?”

Merlin nodded. “She says I have the potential to help you unlock yours or something. She wanted to clear it with Gaius before it was official though.”

“I'm staying?”

“Yes, Arthur,” Merlin said, smiling, as he wiggled on top of Arthur and the two of them began to get hard.

Arthur was pulling Merlin down for another kiss when a knock on the door startled both of them.

“Merlin? Arthur? I need to speak to you.”

Merlin groaned. “Gaius.”

“We should let him in,” Arthur said.

Reluctantly, Merlin got up off the bed (and Arthur). It was then Arthur realised how warm he must have been for, as soon as Merlin left him, he felt a little chilled.

“Hi, Gaius,” Merlin said, cheerfully, as he opened the door. “Come in.”

Arthur was sat up, hoping that Gaius wouldn't be able to tell what exactly he and Merlin had just been engaged in. “Gaius?”

Gaius looked at the two of them, and gave them a subtle quirk of the eyebrow, but he said nothing. “I've heard that you had some trouble today, Arthur,” he said, kindly.

“Yes, I did.”

“Professor Lake thinks that you would benefit from some extra tutoring. She thinks Merlin is the best person to teach you. Professor Kilgarrah seems very keen on the idea. Are you willing Merlin?”

Merlin gave a brilliant smile. “Absolutely.”

“Good. Some private study sessions will be factored into your timetables but I expect you to use them for actual study not personal matters.”

Arthur blushed. “We'll keep them professional.”

“Honestly,” Merlin added.

Gaius didn't look convinced. “Yes, well, see that you do. I need hardly remind you dinner will be in an hour.”

“We'll be there,” Merlin said.

“Make the most of the time,” Gaius said, sighing. He went out and shut the door behind him.

As soon as Gaius had gone Arthur smiled. “What do you want to do with that hour?”

“I'm going to teach you how to set things on fire,” Merlin said, cheerfully.

Arthur laughed. “You're taking this tutoring thing seriously.”

“Well, I have to be mature and practical as your tutor. Let me find some wood and we can start.”

It seemed that Merlin did actually mean to teach Arthur how to set things on fire, but not quite in the way Arthur had been hoping for. “Is there a reward for doing well?”

“Yes, but it's a surprise,” Merlin replied, still smiling. He went over and rummaged through his trunk until he brought out a small branch.

“You keep pieces of wood in your trunk?”

“Of course. Archimedes likes different perches so I keep a selection.”

Speaking of the owl Arthur hadn't seen him since he'd been loaded onto the cart. “Where is he? You didn't turn him invisible, did you?”

“No, he's getting to know the area. It usually takes owls about a week to get their bearings. He'll be fine.”

Arthur felt oddly relieved. “So you want me to set fire to this branch?”

Merlin placed it on the desk, and waved Arthur over. “Yes. Do you want to stand up or sit down?”

Considering he had been sitting down during his failure in the classroom, Arthur thought it was a good idea. “I'll stand,” he said, as he stood in front of the desk.

“Okay, hold your arm out like this,” Merlin said, taking hold of Arthur's left arm and angling it so his hand was aimed at the wood. “Spread your hand out.”

Arthur did so and he felt an odd tingling sensation all the way down his arm, concentrating in his fingertips. Merlin was still holding onto his wrist. “Are you doing anything?” Arthur asked.

“No, that's your magic,” Merlin said, pleased. “You can't force someone do magic. Your own magic doesn't like it.”

Hoping Merlin was right, Arthur concentrated on the piece of wood. “Forbærnen.” he said.

Nothing happened and Arthur's heart sank. He had felt something in his body, some sort of sensation. Now he was wondering if it wasn't just his imagination or some psychosomatic response to needing to have magic.

“Let go, Arthur,” Merlin whispered in his ear. “You're thinking about it too much.”

“How do I not think about it?”

“Think about before,” Merlin suggested.

“About us kissing each other?” Arthur wasn't sure how that was supposed to help.

“Yes, let your mind be distracted by that.”

Arthur decided he was not going to blush at that thought. “Okay, you are distracting.”

Indeed Merlin was distracting Arthur so Arthur decided to use it. He concentrated on the feel of Merlin's fingers around his wrist, Merlin's breath close to his ear and then he pictured exactly what they had been doing earlier. He closed his eyes and tried again.

“Forbærnen,” he said, quietly.

Arthur opened his eyes. For a moment it looked as if nothing had happened, but then a thin trail of smoke appeared to emanate from the wood.

Merlin let go of his wrist. “Again,” he said.

Closing his eyes and trying not to think of the possible success he concentrated on where his wrist felt cold now Merlin was no longer touching it. Arthur repeated the spell. “Forbærnen.”

When he opened his eyes he saw the amount of smoke had grown.

Now Merlin stepped back. “Again,” he instructed.

The tingling sensation in Arthur's fingertips was getting stronger; it felt like pins and needles. He flexed them slightly, but then went back to thinking about other things. He pictured Merlin’s eyes turning gold when he did magic, his warm smile and his friendship.

He said the spell again.“Forbaernan.”

At first Arthur didn't want to open his eyes, but then he heard Merlin clapping. When he looked he could see a small flame dancing on the branch. His fingertips no longer felt odd and tingly but pleasantly warm.

“You did it!” Merlin said, hugging Arthur. “You did it.”

“I did?” Arthur looked at the flame as it grew and the branch began to burn. “I did. That was me.”

He'd done it; he had actually done magic. Merlin kissed him hard on the lips.

“So, how am I as a teacher?” Merlin asked, his arm slung around Arthur.

“Not bad, Merlin. Not bad at all.”

*****************************************************************************

They weren't late for dinner, although it was a close thing. Merlin had brought out another branch and with a little bit of coaxing Arthur had managed to set fire to that as well. So engrossed did they both become that it was lucky that Merlin had spelled his book into being an alarm clock.

As they entered the hall they immediately sought out Elena and Gilli, two people Arthur was now happy to call friends now he knew he was in no danger of being thrown out of Camelot. It was Merlin who shared the good news. Arthur didn't stop him.

“Arthur did it; he did magic. We tried the fire spell again and he set a branch alight,” Merlin said, unable to keep the pride out of his voice.

Arthur felt pleasantly warm and smiled as Merlin detailed his exploits to their new friends.

“That's brilliant, Arthur,” Elena said, reaching across the table to give him a punch on the arm.

“Thank you,” Arthur said, rubbing where she'd hit him.

“You’re staying at Camelot then?” Gilli asked.

Arthur nodded. “I hope so, now I've got Merlin as a teacher.”

“Well, I'm glad you're staying,” Elena announced. “You wouldn’t want to miss Fresher's Fayre.”

Arthur looked at Merlin. “No, there are a lot of things I wouldn't want to miss.”

That night Arthur lay in bed staring at the ceiling. “Did my eyes change colour when I did magic?” he asked. “Like yours do?”

“You had your eyes closed,” Merlin said, yawning.

“Hmm I did.” Arthur closed his eyes and decided he should get some rest. He didn't feel tired. In fact since he'd done his first bit of magic he'd felt more awake than ever.

It had released something inside him. Camelot felt different now; familiar and comforting. The place was vibrant, he could almost feel it in the walls. He felt stupidly content. He couldn't remember being happy, so happy with himself, before.

“Maybe I can try it with my eyes open next time,” he suggested.

Merlin's snores told Arthur he was already asleep.

*****************************************************************************

Over the next few days Arthur began to settle into the routine of Camelot. He and Merlin woke up at around the same time, got ready, and then went down to breakfast together. There they would meet up with Elena and Gilli before heading off to their lectures.

Most of their lectures were currently based on theory. Nimueh was the only Professor letting them do anything practical. Well, unless you counted Gaius making them process herbs. Arthur was relieved as he still hadn’t managed to do any magic outside of his chambers, even though he had tried.

In the end Merlin had arranged for Nimueh to come to their chambers to watch Arthur set some wood alight. Given the practice he'd had, as well as Merlin’s excellent tutoring, Arthur was able to do it almost at once. He also knew his eyes turned gold, a fact which had finally convinced him it was his magic doing it.

“I'm impressed, Arthur Pendragon,” Nimueh said. “It seems you have your mother's talent.”

“Why can't I do it during your lectures?” Arthur asked.

For a moment Nimueh looked concerned, but then her face was impassive once again. “These things take time,” she said, quietly.

That was all she would say.

“Maybe it's the pressure,” Merlin suggested, when Nimueh had gone.

“I think I might need some more distraction then,” Arthur replied, moving in for a kiss.

He and Merlin hadn’t actually progressed beyond some very involved making out. They didn't want to rush into anything. As if kissing your room mate of less than twenty four hours hadn't been rushing into things. Arthur just couldn’t help it. He liked Merlin more than he'd liked anyone before.

Merlin said they had to save something for the Freshers' Fayre.

******************************************************************************

Four days after arriving in Camelot things changed. The new semester really started as the rest of the students arrived. It was a shock for Arthur to go from a few quiet castle corridors to corridors full of other people. Just when he thought he was beginning to feel like he belonged in Camelot, he was assaulted by more people who clearly did.

“Where have they all come from?” Arthur asked Merlin, as they were jostled through the corridors on the way back from another of Gaius's lectures on herbs.

“All over the world,” Merlin replied. “But mostly the UK and Ireland.”

“How many magical people are there?”

“Well, not that many. I mean, some people study here for years, and some of them will come from mundane backgrounds. Like you.”

“And my sister,” Arthur said.

“You have a sister?”

“I didn't tell you?”

“No, you didn't.” Merlin sounded slightly annoyed. “You could have told me. I told you the names of every wyvern my father's caring for.”

Arthur realised he hadn't actually mentioned much about his background. Merlin already knew quite a bit about Arthur's mother, and Arthur hadn't wanted to think too much about his father and the world he had now firmly left behind. “Well, she's a half sister really. We share a father. She studies here. Gaius told me.”

Just then as if by the cliché of magic Arthur bumped into a very familiar figure who immediately enveloped him in a hug.

“Arthur!” Morgana said, happily. “You made it here! I was beginning to worry when you hadn't contacted me, but Gaius told me you were here safely.”

“Contact you? With what?”

“The ball I gave you. You remember it?”

Belatedly Arthur did. He'd left it at the bottom of his rucksack and hadn't even asked Merlin what it was for. “Is that what it's for?”

Morgana smiled. “Among other things. So, how are you?”

“Good,” Arthur replied, offering her a smile in return. “It's good to be here.”

Morgana squeezed his hands. “You belong here, Arthur. Never doubt that.”

“I won't,” Arthur replied.

“We need to talk,” Morgana said. “Do you have time?”

Automatically Arthur looked over at Merlin. “When's our next lecture?”

“You know you really should memorise your own timetable,” Merlin said.

“Why do I need to when I have you?”

“In case I get kidnapped by the goblins that live under the castle.”

“There aren't any goblins under the castle.”

“How do you know?”

“Merlin, there aren't... Are there?”

Merlin began to laugh and Morgana joined in.

“Okay, no goblins. Is it my fault the timetables keep changing?”

Now the whole university was back their timetables had altered. There were hundreds more students taking classes and the Professors had to fit them all in. It also meant they had far more free periods. Gaius had advised them that their free periods were to be used for quiet study until they found extra curricular activities to fill in some of the time.

“Sorry, Arthur,” Merlin smiled, unrepentant. “We don’t have another lecture for a couple of hours.”

Morgana looked as if she had been very amused by the whole exchange. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”

“Oh, Morgana, this is Merlin,” Arthur said, trying not to beam. “He's my room mate and unofficial tutor. Merlin, this is my sister: Morgana.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Merlin said, smiling and holding out his hand. “Arthur's told me nothing about you.”

“She's a terrible sister and used to tease me. She'll try and tell you embarrassing stories about me; don't believe a word of them,” Arthur said, solemnly.

Morgana smiled wickedly. “Pleased to meet you too, Merlin. Why don't we go into the courtyard to talk?”

“I wouldn't want to intrude....” Merlin began.

“Nonsense,” Arthur said. “I need someone to save me from Morgana's probing questions.”

“So, I'm your knight in shining armour?”

“More like my wizard in a pointy hat.”

“A very fetching pointy hat.”

“Of course.”

Merlin smiled. “All right.”

The courtyard itself was busy, but they found a quiet corner on the steps at the far end and sat down together, Arthur next to Morgana, and Merlin next to Arthur. It seemed Merlin was going to be using Arthur for protection.

“You made Valerian,” Morgana said, as a conversation starter. “Just like Ygraine.”

“I did,” Arthur said, pleased. “What College are you in?”

“Sage,” Morgana replied.

“Oh, the Seer's College,” Merlin piped up.

“You're a Seer?” Arthur asked.

Morgana nodded. “Like my mother. She was in Sage. And so is my sister.”

“You have a sister?” Arthur had never even heard Morgana mention any relatives on her mother's side. Then again, if they were magical she would have reason not to. He couldn't imagine their father would be pleased.

“Half sister, yes. Morgause. She's one of the graduate students here. She's been a great help to me. You'll probably meet her at some point.”

“I'd like that,” Arthur said. “It's good to know you had someone here for you.”

“And you've got Merlin,” Morgana said, suddenly sounding more like his big sister.

“Yes, we met on the train.” Arthur tried to keep his tone neutral.

“And you need private tutoring?”

Arthur coughed. “Yes, well, my magic isn't that powerful.”

“Arthur just has trouble tapping into it,” Merlin said. “Gaius and Nimueh don't know why but he can do magic. He's getting better.”

“You've got a good friend there, Arthur,” Morgana said, quietly.

Arthur reached over and gently touched Merlin's hand. “I do.”

“He'd be lost without me,” Merlin said.

“Who is it who can't read the maps?”

“I can read them!” Merlin protested. “It's not my fault the doors move.”

Morgana laughed. “The two of you...” she said. Then she went quiet. “Uther's still angry at you,” she said, sadly.

“How is he?” Deep down, Arthur didn't want to know, but knew he should ask.

“It's hard for him, Arthur. After what happened to your mother...I think he's just afraid to lose you. This world is where you belong but all he sees is danger.”

“There's more than danger here,” Arthur said, looking around. “I feel... happy. I didn’t know I wasn't happy until I came here.” His old life seemed somehow dull compared to the vibrant colours of Camelot that he could feel around him.

“Camelot does that,” Merlin said, shifting a little closer.

They talked for a little longer about more general things. Morgana talked about what she was studying. She was in her third year, and starting to specialise in her magic. She asked what Arthur’s first impressions of his Professors were.

“I like all of them,” Arthur said. “Professor Gaius has been helpful and Professor Nimueh's been very good to me.”

“She was a good friend of your mother's,” Morgana said. “What about Professor Muirden?”

Arthur shivered. “There's something about him...” He shook his head. “It's fine.”

Eventually it was time for Morgana to leave. She stood up. “It's been good talking with you, Arthur, but I have to catch up with Morgause. She's going to be tutoring me this semester to try and focus my magic. I hope to see you at the Fayre tomorrow. I'll be on the Crystal Eye stall.”

“Crystal eye? Eyes made out of crystals?”

“It's the Seer’s Club, Arthur,” Merlin whispered.

“Oh. Seeing the future?”

“Yes,” Merlin said.

“Could you tell me next week's lottery numbers?” he asked Morgana. She hit him on the shoulder.

“It doesn't work like that. Are you a Seer, Merlin?”

“I can use crystals but...” he paused, looking sad. “I don't...”

She smiled tightly. “I understand. Take care of Arthur.”

“I don't need taking care of.”

“You might. Like I said: remember.”

“All right, Morgana.”

She left, and Arthur waved as she went across the courtyard.

Merlin smiled. “I like your sister.”

Arthur groaned. He could foresee Morgana telling Merlin many embarrassing things in his future, and he wasn't even a seer. “She's even stranger here than at home.”

“Seers can be like that. It's hard seeing the future.”

“Is that why you... ?”

“The crystals give you visions. You don't always see what you think you see,” Merlin said, wistfully. “Interpreting visions takes years of study.”

“And you didn't want to?

“No. Not now.”

Arthur decided not to push it. He hated seeing Merlin look uncomfortable. “Okay, what's our next lecture?”

“You know, maybe I should magic our timetable onto your forehead,” Merlin suggested.

“But then I'd lose my dashing good looks.”

Merlin brushed Arthur's fringe out of the way. “Hmm, maybe you're right. It probably wouldn't all fit anyway.”

“See? So, tell me, oh wise carrier-of-the-timetable, what's our next lecture?”

“Professor Muirden's.”

“I'd rather spend the day with Geoffrey in the library.”

“Me too, but if we don’t go Gaius will give us the eyebrow.”

“True.” In just a few days Arthur had learned to fear it. “But it might be less painful.”

****************************************************************************

Arthur hated Professor Muirden's lectures. He always came out of them feeling wrong, and always, always, with a headache. It went away as soon as he was far enough from the classroom, and Merlin touching him always helped, but for some reason nothing could alleviate the growing headache he would have throughout the lecture.

“Maybe you should talk to Gaius again,” Merlin suggested.

Arthur had mentioned his trouble to Gaius who had just frowned and said perhaps more research was needed. “I will,” Arthur said. “Maybe he''ll have a cure in the next few days.”

Today the lecture was about revenge as a source of magical corruption, a fairly light topic as far as Professor's Muirden's lectures were concerned. Only ten minutes in Arthur's head began to pound but he was determined not to admit he was having trouble. Professor Muirden did not like interruptions in his class, as Vivian had discovered when she had simply requested a toilet break.

Poor Vivian had had to stay behind for an hour and apparently, according to her fellow Yarrow College students, was so unwell afterwards she'd had to be taken straight to Gaius.

Merlin, obviously seeing Arthur was struggling, touched their knees together. It helped alleviate some of the pain. He gave Merlin a grateful nudge with his foot. They didn't dare smile at each other, but Mordred turned around from his position at the front and briefly frowned at them. Sophia was also glaring at them, as if she didn't approve.

“Feeling better?” Merlin asked, as they walked out of that lecture and headed to their next one, one of Professor's Mandrake's Magical Creatures lectures. It was one of Merlin's favourites.

“Yes. Thank you,” Arthur said, gratefully. “It helped.”

“Pity we don't know why.”

“Yes,” Arthur said, wondering. Maybe it was just the fact he was Merlin and he was an excellent distraction. He casually took Merlin’s hand as they walked along and Merlin smiled.

******************************************************************************

The next morning Arthur had been hoping for a lie in considering they had no lectures for a couple of days due to the Fresher's Fayre. Arthur had discovered there wasn't a Fresher's Week as such at Camelot, since the first year students had all arrived a few days before everyone else. However, there was a Fair, or Fayre as it was spelt on the banners, which had mead, entertainment, and the option of joining extra-curricular activities.

Merlin was so excited by the possibilities that he dragged Arthur out of bed at their usual hour. It seemed Merlin wasn't the only one really looking forward to it, as the hall for breakfast was full of their fellow students. Elena and Gilli had saved them a couple of seats, which was a good thing as space was at a minimum.

“What groups are you thinking of joining?” Elena asked over their bowls of porridge.

“I quite like the Magical Creatures Protection Society,” Merlin said.

“Oh me too!” Elena gushed. “That, and the horse riding group, what are they called? The Magic Saddle?”

Arthur groaned at the cheesy names these groups seemed to have.

“What about you, Arthur?” Elena asked.

“I don't know. I'm just going to go and see what there is. I don't think I'll be familiar with most of it.”

“We do have a chess club,” Gilli spoke up. “I'm hoping to join that.”

“I'm useless at chess,” Arthur said. “My father always wanted me to be good at it, thought it was good strategy, but I think a good strategy would be to have pieces that could move all over the board.”

Merlin smiled. “You've never played the magical version of chess then.”

From the mischievous looks his friends were giving him Arthur wasn't entirely sure he wanted to.

After breakfast they all headed out to the fair, which seemed to be all over the place, haphazardly taking over the castle and grounds. There were ribbons decorating the corridors, stalls all around the courtyard, and even on the steps. Most of the activity was centred in the Great Hall, and in the training field next to the castle.

“We should see Morgana first,” Arthur said to Merlin.

“She'll be in the hall,” Merlin replied.

“Why don’t you go onto the field?” Arthur suggested to Elena and Gilli. He didn't want to inflict his sister on them yet. Plus he wanted a bit of time alone with Merlin to try and find out if there was anything they could do together.

“What a brilliant idea. We'll stop at the chess club stall on the way. Won’t we, Gilli?”

“We will. Have a good time.”

Arthur nodded as Elena gave them a wave and hauled Gilli off. She seemed to have appointed herself his personal tour guide from the way she was pulling him along.

“Right, let's find Morgana,” Arthur said, determinedly, not in the least bit overawed by the huge number of stalls.

He and Merlin wound their way through the hall. It wasn't too busy, but the odd explosions were distracting. Apparently the potion society was very eager for new members, even to the point where they risked blowing them up.

They found Morgana at the Crystal Eye stall at the far end, in the quietest part of the hall. There was nothing on the stall at all, not even a crystal ball, which Arthur had expected for some reason. All there was was Morgana, and several banners with an odd eye-like symbol upon them.

“Morgana,” Arthur greeted.

She offered a slight smile. “Hello, Arthur, Merlin. You're enjoying the Fayre?”

“You're actually the first stall we've visited,” Arthur admitted.

“Arthur, I'm flattered. Of course you're not a Seer.”

“How do you know?”

“I can see it in your eyes.”

Arthur was about to attempt a suitably witty comeback when a woman appeared carrying a glass of water. She set it down beside Morgana. “Here you are, Morgana. I'm going to try and see if I can get some of the pastries later for you.”

“Thank you, Gwen,” Morgana smiled. “Let me introduce you to my brother. This is Arthur and his friend Merlin.”

Arthur held out his hand and Gwen shook it without hesitation. “Arthur, I'm so pleased to meet you. Morgana's told me all about you. Not that that's a bad thing. I mean she's told me things about you. Not bad things. She's very... nice about you. I'm sure you're nice.”

“Pleased to meet you, Gwen. I hope I don’t entirely live up to Morgana's stories.”

“And you're friends with Merlin, that's lovely.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Let me guess, Merlin, Gwen is another person you know.”

“Gwen's been in the blacksmith training programme here for years. Her father is Camelot's foremost blacksmith and maker of magical weaponry.”

“You're a blacksmith?” Arthur wasn’t sure what was magical about that but he admired the skill.

“Sometimes people's talents manifest themselves in different ways,” Morgana said, as if reading his mind. “The art of the blacksmith has a magic of its own.”

Gwen blushed. “Yes, well, Morgana's very kind.”

“Gwen's really good at armour,” Merlin said, proudly. “She knows more about it than anyone. Even the knights.”

“Which is kind of sad, really,” Gwen said.

“No,” Arthur said, offering a smile. “I admire anyone who is good at what they do.”

Gwen's smile was genuine. “Thank you. Just don't let Merlin talk up my talents too much,” she teased.

“Oh there’s no chance of that,” Merlin replied.

Gwen hit Merlin on the arm.

“Hey!” he said, rubbing his arm in mock pain.

“So, Arthur, as you're not cut out to be a Seer, what are you going to be doing?” Morgana asked.

Arthur shrugged. “I was hoping Merlin here might be able to give me suggestions.”

“That's a dangerous idea, Arthur,” Gwen said.

“I'll have you know I have great taste,” Merlin said. “I can find something fun for Arthur to do.”

Arthur coughed, as he had a good idea that soon he and Merlin would be finding something very fun to do, and it wasn't going to involve anything but the two of them and a bed. “Yes, well, we should be going to see what we can do. Isn’t that right, Merlin?”

Merlin seemed blissfully unaware of what Arthur had been thinking. “We probably should,” he agreed. “It was nice seeing you.”

“We'll have to catch up soon,” Gwen said, giving Merlin a hug.

“We will.”

“Right, come on, Merlin; if we leave now we might be able to stop at the mead stall on the way.”

As it turned out they didn’t stop at the mead stall. Partly becuase it was ridiculously crowded, and partly because Merlin said he wanted to save the mead tasting until later. He had a gleam in his eye that made Arthur think he had something planned.

Out in the field there were stalls and brightly coloured tents. It didn’t feel as crowded as the castle had, given all the outdoor space. They saw Elena by the Magical Creatures Protection Society stall. The stall itself had a model of a unicorn on it that appeared to be moving.

“Do you want to come and take a look?” Merlin asked.

Arthur decided that, as he was a little bit creeped out by the moving model unicorn, it wouldn’t really be to his taste. “No, I think I'll just... wait here,” he said, awkwardly.

Merlin gave him a smile, and Arthur watched him as he headed over, and saw Merlin pick up leaflets and engage Elena in conversation, feeling a bit of jealousy flare up. Perhaps he should have gone over with Merlin but he didn’t want to pressure Merlin into anything. It was healthy to have time apart.

It didn’t stop Arthur wanting to fume when he saw Merlin laugh at something Elena said. Not wanting to watch any longer he decided to look around at the other stalls. He could see horses next to one; which was presumably the 'Magic Saddle Society' Elena wanted to join. He could see the knights over on one side of the field showing off their swordplay.

Arthur watched, taking note of the movements of the blades. He could see Lancelot sparring with another knight he hadn’t seen before. He watched their footwork, saw how they moved their bodies to dodge blows and land others. It wasn't just about swinging a sword, it was about using your whole body to attack and defend.

He was so engrossed that he barely noticed when Merlin came up and tapped him on the shoulder. “Arthur?”

“Mmmm? Sorry, Merlin. Did you join?”

Merlin nodded and proudly flashed a shiny card his name with a picture of a unicorn on it. “Yes, I'm officially a member of the Magical Creatures Protection Society. They said I was a perfect fit.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“I don't know. Have you developed psychic abilities?”

“Yes, Merlin, I am famed for my mind reading,” Arthur said, sarcastically.

“Elena's joining too.”

“She is?” Arthur looked over to see her talking to a shy looking dark haired girl. “Maybe I should as well.”

“Are you jealous, Arthur?”

Arthur scoffed. “Me? Jealous? Of course not.”

“You are!”

“Well, Elena's a very nice girl. And I think she's got a crush on you.”

“Arthur, even if she did she's still a girl,” Merlin said, slowly.

“Yes, and... ?” Arthur had noticed that thank you very much.

“You do have gay people in the mundane world, don’t you?”

“Of course we do,” Arthur paused. “I just assumed you were...bi.”

Merlin smiled. “I'm not. Well, I tried asking a girl out once but she told me she knew it wouldn’t work out because I was gay.” Merlin glanced back at the stall.

“And you believed her?”

“She was very wise."

Arthur took a breath. “Right, well, so am I.”

“You’re wise? Or a girl?”

“No, idiot,” Arthur said, giving Merlin a punch on the arm. “I'm gay.”

Merlin looked relieved. “Oh, good, because I thought Elena might try and steal you.”

“I thought she was trying to steal you.”

“So, we're both girl-stealing proof.”

“Yes. You can stay in the magical creatures protection society.”

Merlin mock bowed. “Thank you, Arthur, for being so generous,” Merlin paused. “Now you need something to join.”

Arthur looked around. “Nothing that involves fire breathing,” he said, noticing a rather dramatic example a few feet away. He could feel the heat of the flames from where he was standing. He was about to suggest to Merlin that maybe they should go back inside, when he heard Gwaine shouting from where the knights were training.

“Hey, Merlin, why don’t you bring your roomie over here?”

“You're not going to hit him with a sword, are you?” Merlin asked, as he started to walk over to where the knights were, Arthur following.

Gwaine grinned. “Nah, of course not.”

Merlin turned to Arthur. “Do you want to?”

“We've nothing else to do.”

Anyway Arthur would hate to keep Merlin from his friends. He walked in step with Merlin, hoping that Merlin's friends wouldn't see him as a threat. He hadn't quite worked out if he and Merlin were anything official yet, and he didn't want to have to answer any awkward questions until he was sure. Especially not in front of guys trained to kill, and who were wielding swords.

“Hello, Merlin,” a tall knight, who Arthur didn't really recognise, greeted.

“Arthur, this is Leon.”

“Hello,” Arthur said, shaking Leon's hand.

“And this is Elyan, Gwen's brother, and Percival.”

Percival was also very tall Arthur noted, as he shook his hand. The man towered over even Leon. “Pleased to meet you, I'm Arthur. I share a room with Merlin.”

“We've heard,” Leon said, smiling. He seemed friendly.

Arthur looked at Merlin. “Word travels fast.”

Gwaine looked as if he was about to say something but Merlin interrupted. “You’ve got some new weapons,” he said, indicating a rack on which several swords were placed.

“Yes, all Guinevere's work,” Lancelot said, proudly taking one out of the rack and bringing it close.

“Always the proud boyfriend,” Gwaine said, clapping Lancelot on the back.

The more Arthur stared at the blade the shinier it seemed, almost as if it was glowing. Fascinated, he reached out to touch it. Gwaine's voice startled him.

“So, Arthur, think you’d have any chance with a sword?”

“I've never touched a sword in my life,” Arthur said, pulling back.

Gwaine came over and nudged Arthur. “Come on, have a go. We'll be gentle with you,” he paused. “For Merlin's sake of course.”

“Of course.”

“Hey!” Merlin said, indignantly.

“All right, Gwaine. I accept your challenge. Or do you have to throw down your gauntlet first?”

“Just take the sword,” Gwaine said, grinning.

Lancelot offered Arthur the hilt and he took it. The weight of it surprised him, although it shouldn't have considering it was thick metal. The blade glinted with that odd glow about it. Arthur took a moment to move it about through the air, testing it out to see how he moved with it. He was just getting the hang of it when suddenly Gwaine came toward him, his own sword raised.

Instinctively Arthur raised his sword and the two blades clanged together. Gwaine tried for another blow, but somehow Arthur knew where it was coming from and moved his sword to intercept it. Gwaine looked surprised and Arthur pressed his advantage, trying for another blow. It was strange, he could almost see what Gwaine's reaction was going to be before it happened. He saw the possibilities and changed his movements to fit.

Again he blocked a blow and landed his own. Gwaine was unbalanced, and Arthur pressed his advantage. In a moment he had Gwaine sprawled on the grass. Arthur stopped, shocked that he had somehow bested a trained knight of all people.

“Wow,” Merlin said, as he came to stand next to Arthur.

Arthur offered Gwaine a hand and helped him to his feet.

Despite his defeat Gwaine was smiling. “Arthur, you're a bloody natural. How do you feel about joining the tournament team? Do a bit of training with us?”

“Are you serious?” Arthur had seen the knights train earlier. He'd never even considered doing what they did.

“I've never seen anyone handle a blade as easily as you,” Lancelot said.

Merlin nudged him. “Go on, Arthur, you'd be great at it. I know you would.”

Feeling as if finally there was something he could do, maybe even be good at, Arthur smiled. “All right, what do I do?”

“Meet us in the armoury Tuesday evenings.”

“Your timetable allows it,” Merlin said, playfully.

“Thank you, keeper-of-the-timetable. What are you doing on Tuesday nights?”

“That's when the Magical Creatures Preservation Society has their meetings.”

That worked out well for Arthur then. “I’ll see you on Tuesday,” he said to the knights, who were still looking at him warily. “Thank you.”

As he and Merlin walked back toward the castle Arthur was in a buoyant mood.

“I think we should celebrate,” Arthur said.

“You just want to drink mead.”

“I've never actually tasted mead before, Merlin.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

They met up with Elena and Gilli at the mead stall. They also saw Gwen, who was apparently collecting some mead rations for the knights.

“Mostly Gwaine,” Merlin told Arthur.

“So, Arthur, what did you sign up for?” Elena asked, handing him a flagon.

“Arthur's going to be training with the knights,” Merlin said, proudly.

“Really? That's amazing.”

“I didn't think first years were allowed,” Gilli said.

“I didn't either,” Arthur said, taking a swig of mead. It was really rather pleasant tasting. “They seemed to think it was a good idea.”

“I'm sure you'll be great at it,” Elena said.

“Of course he will!” Merlin said, hiccuping. Arthur put an arm around him. He seemed to be swaying a little.

“What about you, Gilli?” Arthur asked. “Did you make the chess team?”

Gilli smiled. “I did. Practice starts next week.”

They talked a little more about what other things they had planned. Elena had joined the horse riding team, and Gilli had turned down an offer from the mead drinking club. However, by this point Merlin had had three large flagons of mead, and was looking a little bit worse for wear. He really couldn't hold his drink.

“I should get Merlin home,” Arthur said, supporting Merlin, who really did look as if mead didn't agree with him.

“I'm fine,” Merlin hiccuped. “Maybe.”

“Take care of him, Arthur,” Elena said, giving Merlin a pat.

“I will.”

It was quite a feat to get Merlin safely back to their chambers. The walk was a long one, and Arthur was just grateful that nothing actually moved around to confuse him. Merlin was half asleep by the time they got back, and it had been like dragging a dead weight around.

“Come on, Merlin, let's get you on your bed,” he said, hefting Merlin onto his bed.

“I wanted to kiss you,” Merlin said, tugging at Arthur.

Arthur gave Merlin a gentle kiss. “I know, but you're drunk, Merlin.”

“I am aren't I?” Merlin sighed sadly.

“I think you should get some rest,” Arthur said, carefully brushing Merlin's fringe away from his forehead.

Merlin’s eyes were already closed and he looked so relaxed. “Hmmmm, night, Arthur.”

Arthur wasn't tired, and the day wasn't yet over. He was also a little bit disappointed that Merlin hadn’t been able to hold his drink. He had been hoping that a little bit of mead would have led to them finally moving beyond kissing, but it had only led to Merlin passed out on the bed.

*****************************************************************************

Arthur spent the rest of the day reading. He ventured down to the College hall for lunch and dinner. At dinner he was met by Gaius, who didn't seem surprised to hear that Merlin was sleeping off his mead indulgence.

“He's never been able to hold his drink,” Gaius said. “When he wakes up, give him this.” Gaius handed Arthur a small flask.

“I will.”

Arthur took the flask back with him and put it on the desk. He continued reading. He turned down an invitation from Elena and Gilli to visit the fair again, reasoning that he should be there when Merlin woke up, even if he'd be the worse for wear.

It was evening when Merlin finally stirred. “My head hurts,” he groaned.

“You missed lunch and dinner,” Arthur said, getting up off his bed, and heading to pick up the flask from the desk. “You missed a great food fight.”

“There wasn't a food fight, was there?”

“No, but you would have missed it if there had been. Gaius told me you to give you this,” Arthur handed the flask to Merlin.

“Thank you,” Merlin said, taking it. He opened it and downed the contents in one, screwing up his face as he did. “It never tastes any better.”

“Hangover cure?” Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded. “It works but it tastes terrible.” He wiped his mouth.

Arthur leaned in for a kiss. He could taste a distinct bitterness in Merlin's mouth. “Mmm, you're right, it tastes awful. You taste all right though.”

“So do you,” Merlin replied.

“Are you sober enough?” Arthur asked.

“For what?”

“Merlin, I've had to stare at you asleep on the bed for hours.”

That wasn’t technically true. Arthur had managed to distract himself with reading, but he had sneaked long lingering glances at Merlin when the reading got too boring.

“Can you survive another ten minutes?” Merlin asked, rubbing his head. “Gaius's remedy is good, but it's not that good.”

Arthur reached over for one of his books. “I think I can.”

Arthur was very pleased that he managed to hang on for more than ten minutes. Well, twelve anyway.

“Ready now?” Arthur asked, as Merlin got up and stretched.

“Are you going to grab me and rip my clothes off if I say yes?” Merlin asked, smiling.

“Why? Do you know a better way?”

“Oh yes,” Merlin said. He held his arms out and uttered a word that sounded like 'áfyrðan'. His eyes flashed gold and suddenly he was naked; completely naked.

“That's...” Arthur was speechless.

“Amazing? Brilliant?”

“Going to come in really handy,” Arthur said, pulling his own clothes. Why was it so hard to take off a t-shirt?

Merlin, still totally naked, smiled, and walked over. “Let me,” he said. He said the spell again and Arthur hardly felt his clothes disappear before he was naked.

“You could have warned me,” he said, feeling a bit cold. “Do magical people even have foreplay?”

“We do, Merlin said, wrapping his arms around Arthur. “We just prefer to do it naked.”

“That's...” Arthur didn't have a chance to say anything more as Merlin's mouth descended on his.

They kissed, deep and wet. Arthur was certainly beginning to warm up as they did so. He could feel himself getting hard, but there was no rush; he could stand kissing a naked Merlin all day.

“What about foreplay in bed?” Arthur asked, in between kisses.

“Oh, we do that,” Merlin replied.

Their lips barely parted as they stumbled over to Merlin's bed. It was nearest, and the covers were already messed up. They lowered themselves carefully onto the bed, staying face to face. Arthur ran a hand down Merlin's side and Merlin shivered.

“Cold?” Arthur asked.

Merlin smiled and nuzzled Arthur's neck before kissing it. “You wish,” he mumbled.

Arthur actually wouldn’t wish Merlin to be cold. His warm skin was intoxicating to touch. It felt like there was energy running under Merlin's skin that made Arthur's fingertips tingled. Maybe it was magic, or maybe Merlin just felt that good. Arthur traced circles across Merlin's back, trying to find the little sensitive spots that would make Merlin shiver again.

They touched and kissed each other as they would have done had they been wearing clothes, but as they were naked everything felt slightly heightened. They were finding each other’s hot spots but not really exciting them yet. Taking notes on each other's reactions, as bare and naked as they were, and filing them away for later.

Arthur was hard, and knew Merlin was the same from the way. There was a definite sense of anticipation. There so was much to explore but all Arthur wanted to was press himself against Merlin, taste him, touch him, feel him until the two of them were worn out, sweaty and satisfied. He loved the way touching Merlin seemed to make his own skin tingle.

They went back to kissing each other and Arthur pulled Merlin closer. If there was a way to wrap himself up in Merlin Arthur would have done it. They rubbed against each other lazily as they kissed other, Arthur's lips feeling wet with Merlin's taste. Everything felt so good.

At first they moved against each other slowly, gradually Arthur felt them build up; faster and faster. Arthur felt a little giddy about it all. This was something as unknown to Arthur as magic, but it felt just as right. Merlin felt perfect against him.

He clung to Merlin like an anchor, as they moved together like waves; perfectly synchronised. Arthur nipped Merlin's ear and he felt himself building up to climax. He couldn't hold off any longer. His skin practically burned with pleasure and with a final push he came; trembling as he felt something envelop him.

Then he felt another burst of energy as Merlin came moments later. The energy seeped and mixed between them, and it felt so good that, if he could have come again; Arthur would have. Release spent they held onto each other; a tangle of limbs and bodies.

For a while there was nothing but the sound of their breathing between them, before Arthur looked down at the two of them.

“Do you have a spell to clean us up?” Arthur asked.

“áfeormian,” Merlin whispered.

Arthur had a feeling he was going to enjoy sex with Merlin for as often as they could manage it.

*****************************************************************************

For the rest of the Fresher's Fayre Arthur and Merlin didn't actually go and do much visiting. They spent their time in their chambers, enjoying each other's company. Not just the sex either, but quiet moments, when they would cuddle and read together. By the time they made it to dinner on the second day (having missed lunch), it was pretty clear what they had been up to.

“I think it's wonderful you're boyfriends!” Elena said. “And so soon! We all thought it would take you at least two weeks.”

She said it so loudly it was soon common knowledge throughout the whole of Valerian College, and so, within days, the whole of Camelot.

“Is there a spell for making it less obvious we've had sex with each other?” Arthur asked.

“I don't think it matters now,” Merlin replied, as a few students winked at them as they walked past.

“Do you think Morgana knows?” Arthur asked.

Her shout of congratulations across the courtyard made it obvious that, yes, she did know.

“I didn't think you'd be getting together so soon,” Morgana said, as she dragged them to a quiet corner to talk. Gwen was by her side offering smiles and congratulations.

“You saw it?” Merlin asked.

“She saw us...?” Arthur didn't want to think of the implications of his sister seeing him and Merlin doing anything.

Morgana hit him on the back of the head. “Not like that. I have visions, Arthur, but I don’t see the x-rated bits.”

Gwen giggled. “Well, it's not a surprise. A lot of students get together in the first few weeks. Lancelot and I did.”

Arthur was about to ask Gwen more about that when a blonde woman appeared.

“Are you all right, sister?” she asked Morgana.

Morgana offered her a smile. “I'm fine. Arthur was just telling me his good news about Merlin.”

“I heard,” the woman said, her face impassive.

“Arthur, this is my sister, Morgause.”

Arthur thought you could barely tell Morgana and Morgause were related. Morgause's hair was blonde and her eyes a deep brown, quite a contrast to Morgana's dark hair and green eyes, but then he and Morgana had the same father and that wasn't obvious at all.

“I'm pleased to meet you,” Arthur said. He wasn't sure if he should offer his hand to shake, as it looked as though Morgause would cut it off if he did.

“Yes, you are Uther's son, aren't you?”

“Yes.”

“Then let us hope you take after your mother,” Morgause said, with a bite to her words. “I shall see you later, sister,” she said to Morgana before stalking off.

“Is she...?”

Morgana offered a smile. “Don't worry about her, Arthur.”

“Not everyone can love your charms,” Merlin added.

“My charms worked on you.”

“I thought it was mine that worked on you.”

“Boys, I think you should stop flirting and go to your lecture. You do have a lecture?”

“We weren't...” Arthur began before catching the look on Morgana and Gwen's faces. He turned to Merlin. “What lecture is it?”

“Gaius's. Today we're going to collect rosemary.”

“I think I'd rather stay here and flirt.”

Merlin grinned. “And risk Gaius making us re-label all his bottles?”

“All right,” Arthur said. “We'll see you again, Morgana, Gwen.”

“Have fun, Arthur,” Morgana said and she and Gwen smiled at each other.

They didn't entirely stop flirting during the lecture, and several times Gaius told them to focus on the rosemary plants rather than each other. By the end of it, Arthur's hands were covered in the smell of the plant, which was vaguely like pine. So pungent was the smell, that kissing Merlin a couple of hours later he tasted exactly like the herb.

*****************************************************************************

A few more days passed, and Arthur found himself anxious about his first sessions of training with the knights. From what he could gather it was very unusual for any student, let alone a first year, to be allowed to train with them. He'd heard the whispers among his fellow students.

During one of Professor Mandrake's lectures on the phoenix, he could hear Sophia talking behind him.

“I don't know what makes Arthur Pendragon so special he can train with the knights. He can't even set a piece of paper alight.”

Perhaps this knock in confidence was why he struggled to do any magic as he and Merlin practised the latest spell Nimueh had given them; one to move fire from one piece of wood onto another. Everyone else had, of course, managed it in the lecture, but Arthur hadn't, even though he's tried his bestt. So, back in their chambers Merlin was trying to teach him.

“Come on, Arthur, this is easier than setting something on fire,” Merlin said. “The fire's already there.”

“I can't do it, Merlin.” Arthur sighed as he stared at the stubborn flame that wouldn't budge.

“What's wrong?”

“It's this training with the knights,” Arthur said, quietly. “I can't even move fire about and they're going to trust me with a sword.”

“But you're good with a sword, Arthur, I've seen you.”

“What if it was a fluke, Merlin?”

“It wasn't a fluke. Gwaine and Lancelot have been trying to teach me for years how to just hold a sword. You picked one up and it looked like it belonged in your hand. What did it feel like?”

Arthur thought back to the hilt gripped in his hand, the strength of it. “It felt good.”

“See? I'd come and watch but I've got my society meeting.”

“I think I can manage without you, Merlin.”

“I'm just being the supportive boyfriend,” he smiled. “And because I'm so supportive I'm going to make you try the spell again.

“That's supportive is it?”

“Oh yes.” Merlin gave him a kiss with a quick slip of tongue. “That was encouragement.”

“Astyrung.”

This time the fire leapt from one piece of wood to the other.

“You methods seem to work, Merlin,” Arthur said, happily. “I'm just glad I'm your only pupil.”

“I like to concentrate my resources,” Merlin replied.

With Merlin's encouragement Arthur's mind was taken firmly off training with the knights and put back onto his magic.

******************************************************************************

Tuesday evening came around, and Arthur found himself pacing the floor. Merlin was getting ready for his Magical Creatures Protection Society meeting, which apparently involved him gathering together old scrolls. Arthur had asked what they were, and Merlin had told him they were maps showing the locations of wyvern nests.

“Do you think I should change?” Arthur asked.

Merlin was still rummaging through his scrolls. “Into what? A toad?”

“I meant my clothes, Merlin. Are jeans and a t-shirt standard clothes for training with knights?”

Merlin stopped messing with his scrolls, and came to stand in front of Arthur. “They don't care what you wear. Lancelot will probably get Gwen to put together something for later sessions, but they're not expecting you to turn up in chain mail and armour.”

“Any other encouragement?”

Merlin rolled his eyes briefly before giving Arthur a kiss. “You'll be fine, Arthur. I'd come and watch you but...”

“You have to go and discuss the falling unicorn numbers. It's fine, Merlin. Make it up to me later.”

“I don't know you might be tired from all that training....”

Arthur put his arms around Merlin's waist and smiled. “I'm never that tired,” he said.

Ten minutes later and Arthur was heading to what he hoped was the armoury. It was situated in the main part of the castle, which Arthur had gradually got used to finding his way around. He was sure there were more efficient routes, but the one he and Merlin used would at least get him there without any odd detours.

That was what he had thought before he'd ended up in a dead end. Sighing in frustration he consulted the map he'd brought along, and watched as the lines on it shifted and changed. Arthur doubted he would ever get used to this. His old geography lessons about ordnance survey maps seemed remarkably simple by comparison.

Finally, Arthur made it to the armoury, although a little later than he'd planned. He was glad it at least had a sign on the door. So many of the doors in the castle had no signs, and it was a guess as to what was behind them. Once he was confident he'd found where he was meant to be, Arthur entered to find training in full swing.

The armoury seemed to be set up with training in mind. Weapons decorated the walls, and swords and lances filled several racks, which were placed against the walls and in the corners. The training area was denoted by a few benches, which created the large, triangular shaped area in the centre of the room in which a couple of knights were already training in. Arthur wondered why they were training indoors, but he didn't want to ask and end up offending the well-armed knights.

“So, you decided to turn up after-all?” Gwaine asked as he noticed Arthur.

“The walls changed again,” Arthur said, apologetically. “But I'm here now.”

Lancelot offered him a friendly smile. “Right, well, welcome, Arthur; you've met everyone?”

“I think so, hello.”

“Hello,” came the replies.

Once the pleasantries were over Arthur decided to wait for what could happen next. He didn't know what knights did when they trained.

“Ready?” Lancelot asked.

“Yes,” Arthur said, firmly, straightening himself up in an attempt to at least look like he could hold a sword.

“Good,” Gwaine tossed him a sword.

Arthur managed to catch it one handed, surprising himself, as the hilt of the sword fitted neatly into his grasp. His reflexes had never been that good. Sure, he'd been able to kick a football, but catching anything small or awkward had been a different skill and beyond him.

“Not bad,” Gwaine said, picking up his own sword.

Arthur sensed something behind him, but what it was he had no idea. Instinctively he turned around and held up his sword, the blade clanging against Lancelot’s.

“He's good,” Lancelot said, impressed.

“Are you using magic to cheat?” Gwaine asked.

“I don't really know how to use my magic,” Arthur said, truthfully. “The only time I can really do spells is when I'm with Merlin.”

He could sense Gwaine and Lancelot eyeing him up. He had wondered if news of his and Merlin's tentative relationship had reached the knights, but given the news was all over Camelot, he wouldn’t be surprised if it had.

“You'll be a good match for Merlin,” Leon said.

There was a moment of silence, and Arthur could feel the gazes of all the knights on him. He felt on show, as if they were sizing him up. Whatever test it was he seemed to pass, as the knights nodded and smiled.

“Right. Let's see what you're like with two of us,” Gwaine said, grinning.

Arthur could feel something buzzing in him, like the adrenaline high when he got on a roller-coaster, but with more of a power behind it. It was odd, part of him felt as if he wasn't there, as if he was watching everything in slow motion from outside himself. Every movement of each sword was highlighted, but more than that, he almost seemed to know the path the sword would travel.

He managed to fight off both Gwaine and Lancelot no matter what they tried. His body moved before he told it to, almost as if it anticipated each blow. On the one hand Arthur felt disconnected but on the other hand he'd never felt so alive.

“I think we should try basic sword work,” Lancelot said, panting a little once their sparring session was over. “Teach Arthur the finer points of holding his sword.”

“Good idea,” Gwaine replied.

“You have good instincts but you lack finesse,” Lancelot explained. “Fighting with a sword is about much more than deflecting blows.”

Arthur nodded. He knew it wasn't that easy, despite his early success.

“Percival and Leon will show you,” Gwaine said, as he sat next to Elyan on the bench.

As Arthur watched, the two tallest knights stood up and slowly demonstrated each position of the sword. Arthur noted the way their bodies were positioned, how they moved their feet, much as he had the first time he had seen them training. This time, though, he felt as if he were really absorbing it.

Lancelot then showed Arthur how to hold his sword, how to make it an extension of his body rather than simply a weapon. It felt right in his hand, and his movements flowed more naturally as he moved the sword through the air. It also helped reduce the odd disconnected feeling.

A couple of hours had passed before Arthur realised his arms were aching.

“I think that's enough for now,” Lancelot said. “We'll have Gwen make you your own sword.”

“Can't I just borrow one?”

“Not the way we do it,” Gwaine said, clapping Arthur on the shoulder. “You weren't bad for a first timer.”

“You were very good,” Percival said, and the others murmured their agreement.

“Why am I good at this?” Arthur asked.

“You have a natural talent,” Lancelot told him.

“Why?” he wondered out loud.

The knights shrugged, it seemed none of them knew.

“Who knows,” Gwaine said. “We'll see you next week. Maybe before if we see you around the castle,” he winked.

“Thank you,” Arthur said, earnestly.

“Better go back and tell Merlin about it, he's bound to ask you,” Lancelot said, shaking Arthur's hand.

When Arthur returned to his chambers Merlin was indeed waiting for him, perched on his bed and looking expectant.

“How was it?” he asked.

“Fantastic,” Arthur replied, sitting down opposite Merlin. “This is something I'm actually good at, Merlin.”

Merlin smiled. “I'm pleased for you, Arthur.”

“I just wish I knew why I was good at it. I've never held a sword before in my life.”

Merlin looked mysterious. “I might have a theory about that.”

“Oh you do?”

“We'll need to go to the library to check it though,” he said, teasingly.

Arthur stretched his sore muscles. “I could use a shower,” he said.

Merlin frowned. “A shower?”

“Magical people do bathe don't they, Merlin?”

“Of course we do!” Merlin held out his hand and said a spell Arthur didn't recognise.

There was an odd blue glow as a large wooden bathtub that seemed to slowly materialise out of thin air. Arthur could see steam rising from it, so he assumed that it was filled with hot water. Merlin was looking very pleased with himself.

“Are you going to have a bath?” Merlin asked.

The idea of a bath was very appealing. Arthur tugged his t-shirt off. “I should probably do that as you've gone to the trouble of conjuring one up,” he replied. “Should you have done that?”

“I've got special permission to conjure anything that will help you with your magic.”

“How is a bath going to help?”

“Relax you?”

Arthur shook his head. “Sometimes Merlin...”

“Get in,” Merlin encouraged. “The water's warm.”

Not taking Merlin's word for it Arthur dipped a hand into the water. It was the perfect temperature; not too hot and not too cold. Merlin's magic certainly knew how to please Arthur.

“Are you going to stand there and watch me get undressed?

Merlin folded his arms and leaned against his desk. “Think of it as my reward.”

“You haven't done anything.”

“I haven't done anything, yet,” Merlin amended.

Deciding that Merlin did deserve a reward, Arthur undressed slowly. He took off his t-shirt so slowly he wondered if Merlin might think it was stuck. He casually rubbed his back as he tossed the t-shirt to one side and began unbuttoning, and then unzipping, his jeans. He did it so slowly he was worried he would get cramp in his fingers. He followed that with his trainers and socks and then hovered near the edge of the bath, still wearing his underwear.

The look on Merlin's face was priceless. He didn't think he'd ever seen Merlin look so tempted and frustrated at the same time. He turned around so his back was facing Merlin. He slowly bent over as he pulled his boxers down. Carefully, he stood up and stepped out of them, before turning around to face Merlin with a smile.

Arthur held out his arms. “Do you think I'm ready for my bath now?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Merlin said, quietly.

Still smiling Arthur stepped into the bath, which did look inviting, and then sat down. Whatever other purpose Merlin may have had in mind the warm water was relaxing as Arthur sank down into it. It soothed his raw muscles and Arthur closed his eyes, leaning against the side.

He was woken up by a firm kiss on his lips.

“You still need to wash,” Merlin said, waving a bar of soap in Arthur’s face.

“I'm too tired to wash,” Arthur replied.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Arthur watched as Merlin dipped the soap into the water and then lathered up his hands. He began to rub the soap onto Arthur's skin, caressing the skin, and yet still washing away the sweat and dirt. He rubbed Arthur's chest quite vigorously, and neatly massaged his shoulders. He got Arthur to lean forward so he could soap up his back.

It would probably have been easier had Merlin used a flannel or a sponge, but Arthur was grateful he didn't. Merlin’s fingers and hands worked not just to clean him, but also to massage his muscles, working out knots of tension Arthur hadn't really realised were there.

By the time Merlin rinsed him off Arthur felt very relaxed, and he slipped further into the bath. He was closing his eyes again when he felt Merlin's hand on his cock.

“Forgot to wash this bit,” Merlin said.

“Then you better make sure you do a thorough job,” Arthur replied. He kept his eyes closed but sat up a little so he wasn't so submerged.

“I will,” Merlin promised.

Merlin soaped up his hand again, and the touch of a slippery hand on his cock combined with the warm water, made Arthur jump a little.

“You can relax again, you know,” Merlin said.

Arthur did just that, laying back to let Merlin continue, letting himself picture what Merlin was doing. The slippery hand ran up and down his cock, soon bringing Arthur to hardness despite the fact he had been so relaxed. With Merlin it seemed it didn't take much. Merlin's hand was slightly warmer than the water, and Arthur instinctively pushed into its heat.

Merlin’s hand moved faster and faster, to the point where Arthur wasn’t sure where one stroke ended and the next began. He could feel himself splashing out a bit in the bath, the water lapping the sides, as his hips moved in time to Merlin's strokes. His muscles tensed up, but with a very different tension to sword training.

For a moment it seemed as if the bath water was getting warmer but his muscles still didn't relax. Arthur tried not to moan and bit his lip. He tried to focus on the sensations, it was the moment when he pictured Merlin that he finally came. Merlin's hand didn't leave his cock even as he sank down into the bath.

He opened his eyes to see Merlin looking very pleased with himself. “Relaxed now?”

“Yes,” Arthur said. His muscles had relaxed completely now, quite a contrast to a few minutes earlier. “But next time, make the bath tub big enough for two.”

*****************************************************************************

The next morning they were in the library during a study period when Arthur decided he wanted to know what Merlin's sword theory was. That, and the fact he was bored of their assignment from Professor Mandrake; what goblins got up to during full moons. He closed his book and turned his attention to Merlin, who was reading opposite him.

“So, Merlin, are you going to tell me your theory?”

“Theory?”

“About why you think I'm good at using a sword.”

“Oh, yeah,” Merlin said, closing his book and standing up. “Come on,” Merlin said, taking Arthur's hand.

He dragged Arthur away from the table and past the rows upon rows of shelves. They moved deeper into the library where there were fewer students.

“You know if Geoffrey sees us...”

“He won't.”

Merlin pulled Arthur all the way to the oldest part of the library, the part with the most cobwebs, where every book was covered in layers of dust. It was, of course, the part that Geoffrey had warned them they would have no need to go into. The area was empty apart from the two of them.

“You've been here before,” Arthur said.

“Of course,” Merlin replied. “I used to climb the shelves looking for goblins.”

Arthur decided he didn't want to know why.

Merlin was now going along the shelves, obviously trying to find a book. That didn't stop Arthur from asking. “What are you looking for?”

“A book.”

“Really, Merlin? In a library? There's a surprise.”

“Found it!” Merlin said, triumphantly, as he struggled to pull a very thick book off the shelf. After a moment he managed it, but stumbling back under the weight of the large volume in his arms.

“You couldn't have picked something thinner?” Arthur asked.

Merlin ignored him, and set the book down on the table behind them. He started flicking through it, coughing a little as dust flew out of the pages.

“Here,” he said, pointing excitedly to a page. “The history of the mage knights.”

“Mage knights? Sounds like a video game,” Arthur said, coming to peer over Merlin's shoulder. The text Merlin was pointing to was old and, as far as Arthur could tell, wasn't even in English. “I can't read it,” he said, disappointed.

“I can,” Merlin replied, cheerfully. “You see once upon a time...”

“There were three bears?”

Merlin glared. “There were sorcerers who endowed a group of knights with magic that would help them in battle. These knights became known as the mage knights. Their magic gave them more skill with a sword than any mundane knight could ever hope to achieve.”

“What has that got to do with me?”

“The mage knights were supposedly betrayed and killed. All except their leader who escaped death and went on to father several sons who inherited his powers. You must be descended from one of the sons.”

“What was the leader's name?”

“He was known as Riothamus, The King, but he was better known as Arthur.”

Arthur looked closely at the text. “That's ridiculous.”

“Where do you think the legends of King Arthur came from?”

“Even if I was descended from a magic knight, I can't use magic.”

“It's different magic,” Merlin explained. “It's more like...” He pursed his lips. “More like enhanced senses, a sixth sense. You don't do spells or change things, you use magic to enhance your physical skills.”

“I don't know, Merlin.”

“Arthur, believe me, it's true.”

“All right,” Arthur agreed. “If it is true, what do I do with it?”

“Use it,” Merlin said. “You already have.”

“I can see the look on Gwaine's face when you tell him I'm a magic knight. Unless all of Camelot's knights are descended from them?”

“So the legends say, but it's not as strong in them because they don't have any other magic. You do.”

“I suppose your theory makes some sense,” Arthur said, though he wasn't convinced. He went back to looking at the text when something startled them.

“What do you think you're doing?” came the stern voice of Geoffrey.

“Looking at a book?” Merlin offered.

Apparently that excuse wasn't good enough, as Geoffrey grabbed them and marched them both to Gaius, and the pair of them proceeded to give both Arthur and Merlin a stern lecture on the proper care of vital texts.

“Next time, Merlin,” Arthur said, as they went back to the hall, “we make sure Geoffrey isn't in the library first.”

******************************************************************************

A few weeks later Arthur was sitting in the Valerian College hall trying to study with Merlin. Trying to study, because Merlin kept distracting him by licking his lips, or getting ink on his hands, or doing other things that drew Arthur's attention away from his essay on the proper use of hogswart, and onto Merlin.

He'd only written two paragraphs when he heard a large screech, and Merlin’s owl Archimedes came flying in through one of the open windows. The bird flew right Merlin and, Arthur was worried they were going to collide, and there would be an accident of bones, feathers and blood. However, Archimedes just flew straight past, dropping a scroll directly in front of Merlin.

“Thank you,” Merlin called, as Archimedes looped round and flew out of the window he'd just flown in.

Merlin picked up the scroll and untied the red ribbon around it.

“What is it?” Arthur asked.

Carefully Merlin unrolled the scroll. “It's a letter from my parents,” he groaned. “I did promise I'd write to them but...”

“You forgot?”

“Yes.”

“What does it say?”

“I'll let you hear,” Merlin said. “Stefn,” he whispered.

Suddenly, the scroll leapt out of Merlin's hands to hang in mid-air. Then a woman’s voice began to speak.

“Dear Merlin,  
Your father and I thought you wouldn't have had time to write to us, so we're writing to you. Gaius tells us you're doing well in your lectures. I hope you're listening to him. He says you're helping to tutor one of your fellow students. He didn't tell me who it was. I hope you've not got into too much trouble with the knights; I know how they can be. Your father says I should tell you Anglides has hatched another clutch last week, six eggs.

I'm sure you are well and very busy. Don't forget to wash your clothes once in a while.

Lots of love, Mum.”

As the voice finished speaking, the scroll rolled itself up and floated gently down onto the table.

“That was your mother’s voice?” Arthur asked. “I recognise it.”

“Yeah.”

“You should write back to her. If only to tell her my name.”

Merlin smiled. “Oh, you think she'd be interested in that?”

“Yes, Merlin, I think the name of your boyfriend might be interesting to her.”

Merlin took out a fresh piece of paper and started to write. “Aren't you going to write to your father?” he asked.

“Merlin, the last time I saw my father he was angrier than I’ve ever seen him. He never wanted me to come here, do you think he'd want a letter from me?”

“He might want to know you're safe,” Merlin suggested.

“I don’t have an owl to deliver it.”

“I can lend you Archimedes.”

“I wouldn’t know what to write,” Arthur admitted. Where would he actually begin? He was using magic, training with knights, and he'd acquired a boyfriend, all within a few weeks of being at Camelot.

“Ask Morgana,” Merlin replied. Then he started doing that lip thing again.

******************************************************************************

The next day Arthur tracked Morgana down as she was leaving one of Nimueh's lectures.

“Arthur! To what do I owe the pleasure? Want me to help you with your homework? Oh, wait, you've got Merlin for that.”

Ignoring the jibe Arthur launched straight into his question. “Do you write to Father?”

Morgana looked away. “Sometimes,” she said. “Nothing much, just enough to remind him I'm happy and where I belong.” She turned back to him. “Why?”

“Merlin was writing to his parents yesterday, and I thought perhaps Father deserves to know what I'm doing.”

“It won't change the way he feels about this place,” Morgana said, sadly. “Trust me, I've tried.”

“But he still deserves to know, doesn't he?”

“I suppose he does. Just write what you feel, Arthur.”

“Is there an easy way to tell your father you're a gay wizard, with a boyfriend, and that you're enjoying being at a magical university?”

Morgana smiled. “Sometimes being honest is all you can do.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said.

*****************************************************************************

That evening Arthur sat in this chambers and wrote to his father. It was an awkward letter, and several times he screwed the thing up and threw it across the room. Every time he did so Merlin picked up the paper, and used magic to smooth it out so it was as good as new.

“You can do this, Arthur,” he said, as he set the paper back down. “Just tell him what you want him to know.”

“Even if he wouldn't want to know about it?”

Merlin nodded. “Especially if he wouldn't want to know about it.”

Finally, after a lot of frustration, Arthur was happy with what he'd written. Merlin called Archimedes and the letter was entrusted to the owl's care.

“Could you tell him to put it through the letterbox?” Arthur asked, remembering the dramatic letter delivery Merlin had had.

“He will do, Arthur,” Merlin assured him.

Watching Archimedes take off Arthur wondered if his father had really thought about him. If he had thought about him, or wondered what he was doing. His father must have some idea about Camelot, surely his mother would have told him something. Then again, perhaps his father hadn't wanted to know, given Arthur's mother had had to give up practising magic when she married him.

*****************************************************************************

Arthur occasionally thought of his father over the next few weeks, though he didn't receive any reply to his letter. He didn't dwell on it much as there were other distractions to keep him busy. Soon, October was nearly over and Halloween fever began to sweep Camelot.

It was a new experience for Arthur. His father had never been fond of Halloween, probably because of the suggestion of magic, witches and wizards. Morgana had often snuck out of the house when she was old enough to go to parties, but Arthur had never been that brave.

“What on earth are you doing?” Arthur asked, as Gilli and Elena rushed into the hall after lectures with several pumpkins and began putting them on the table.

“Pumpkin carving,” Merlin said. “You've never done that?”

“No, Merlin,Ffather didn't like anything to do with Halloween. Especially not pumpkins.”

“Nothing? No pumpkins? No apple bobbing? No trick or treating?”

“Nothing. Morgana made a witch hat at school once. He confiscated it and burnt it in the fire.”

Merlin looked shocked. “Oh, Arthur.” Then his expression softened. “So, this is your first Halloween?”

“I suppose it is.”

Merlin grinned. “Then we should make it a memorable one.”

Arthur wasn't sure whether to be pleased or worried by that. Especially when Merlin decided to announce it to their friends. Elena and Gilli immediately placed a couple of pumpkins in front of him.

“You want me to carve these?”

Elena grinned. “It'll be fun! Now take your wand and start carving.”

She handed him a long stick that Arthur supposed could pass as a wand. Wands were used for very particular sorts of magic; magic writing, magic tattooing and, apparently, pumpkin carving.

“What do I do?” he asked, staring at the wood in his hand.

“You use the wand to trace the design on the pumpkin,” Gilli said, helpfully. He picked up his wand and carefully drew a face onto the pumpkin. The lines glowed a bright gold. When he had finished he spoke. “áwréon”

In a moment the gold lines seemed to grow brighter and more intense as they seemed to burn parts of the pumpkin away. The glow then began to die down, leaving only the design. Oddly the edges of the voids weren't burnt, but looked sealed, as if the pumpkin had grown that way. The pumpkin also appeared to be hollowed out neatly and cleanly.

“That's surprisingly not messy,” Arthur said.

“Why don't you try, Arthur?” Elena asked.

“I'm not...” Arthur’s cheeks flushed. He hadn't managed magic in front of people yet. Though perhaps the wand would help him. Gingerly, he raised the wand and placed the tip against the pumpkin. Taking a deep breath he tried to copy the movements he'd seen Gilli make. He moved his wand across the surface but no lines, glowing or otherwise, appeared.

He sighed, and lowered the wand. “Apparently pumpkin carving isn't one of my talents,” he said, smiling weakly.

Then he felt a warm hand on his and he knew Merlin was standing behind him. He kept his hold on Arthur's hand and encouraged him to raise it again. That warm, tingling feeling began to spread through Arthur's body. He and Merlin had never done this, had Merlin try and help him with his magic in public.

“Try it now, Arthur,” Merlin whispered.

Merlin continued to hold Arthur's hand, just lightly, following Arthur's movements with the wand. This time a gold line appeared as he drew across the surface and Arthur felt a little giddy. He was well aware everyone would be watching him, he'd never successfully performed magic in front of his peers before.

Merlin kept hold of his wrist as he spoke the spell, and part of the pumpkin burned away. Only then did Merlin let go, although his hand lingered near Arthur's. Arthur was pleased at how it had turned out, after all he'd never carved a pumpkin before, magically or otherwise.

“Why has it got three eyes?” Gilli asked.

Arthur felt slightly embarrassed but before he could reply Merlin spoke up.

“It's obvious,” he said. “It's scarier that way.”

Various other craft activities seemed to be taking place along with pumpkin carving, in order to decorate every building across the Camelot campus. Morgana persuaded Arthur and Merlin to help her with the decorations for the main hall. Arthur still wasn't sure how she had managed to persuade them to give up their free time.

His sister’s persuasive talents meant he ended up folding triangles of orange and black paper to help create bunting to hang all around the main hall. He and Merlin weren't the only victims, however. Morgana had managed to persuade most of the knights along with Gwen, Morgause, and a few other friends from the Seer's Club.

“Isn't there an easier way to do this?” Arthur asked, his fingers hurting from all the folding. “Like using magic?”

“Some things require a more handmade touch,” Morgana said.

“Is that why you're touching them up with magic?” Arthur asked.

Morgana glared and Merlin stifled a laugh.

Across from them Gwen and the knights were busy folding too.

“Did you give Arthur his sword?” Lancelot asked Gwen.

She elbowed him before turning apologetically to Arthur. “It was supposed to be a surprise,” she said. “It was going to be a Halloween present but as Lancelot has spoiled it...” She turned and smiled at Lancelot and he smiled back.

Gwen got up and went over to a corner of the room. She came back carrying something long and wrapped in cloth. “Here you are,” she said, handing it to Arthur.

Arthur took the bundle. “Thank you,” he said, gratefully.

“Well, come on, unwrap it,” Merlin said, sounding more excited than Arthur.

Arthur was certainly excited. He'd been training with the knights for weeks, and now he finally had a sword of his own. No more need to borrow one, he would finally fit in with them in a way he hadn't before.

He'd known Gwen had been working on the sword. She'd taken measurements, and asked him quite personal questions, all of which had been supposed to help in forging the sword.

Carefully, Arthur began to unwrap the layers of coarse, white cloth. As he did so the shape of the sword started to become clear. Finally, it was revealed and the bright metal gleamed, even in the dim light of the hall. Arthur grasped its handle and held it up.

“Wow,” Merlin said, quietly.

“How does it feel?” Gwaine asked.

Standing back from everyone Arthur slowly moved the sword through the air. It felt different to the ones he'd been practising with, lighter, better, as if it belonged to him. He could feel his magic coursing through his body and into the sword itself.

“Perfect,” he said, staring at it, and watching how fluid his movements were. “This is amazing, Gwen, thank you.”

Gwen just blushed and bowed her head. “I'm glad you like it.”

Given the choice Arthur would have kept swinging his sword about until his arm fell off, but at that point Morgause came up to Morgana.

“Have you seen Mordred?” she asked.

Morgana looked concerned. “Is he not here yet?”

“No, sister, he isn't. He was supposed to be here half an hour ago.”

“Mordred?” Arthur asked. He hadn't had much interaction with the strange boy, even though they shared the same lectures.

“Of course. He's a freshman isn't he, Arthur?” Morgana asked. “He's Morgause's cousin,” she explained.

“I promised I would keep an eye on him,” Morgause said. “Unfortunately he wasn't sorted into Sage College.”

“I'm sure the knights will look for him, won't you?” Gwen asked.

“Of course,” Lancelot replied, standing up. “He can't have gone far.”

“Maybe Arthur should go and look for him?” Gwaine suggested. “He can put that sword to good use.”

“I'll go with him,” Merlin offered, scrambling to his feet.

“Are you sure?” Morgana asked. She looked worried.

“Of course,” Arthur said, confidently. “He won't have got far. We'll head towards Thyme College and we'll probably meet him on the way.”

“Don't get lost,” Morgana said, firmly.

Arthur smiled. “We'll be fine. Come on, Merlin.”

As they left the hall Merlin whispered, “Do you know where we're going?”

“I was hoping you'd know,” Arthur replied.

They wandered through the corridors. Several times Arthur stopped in his tracks, as he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and raised his sword, ready to defend himself and Merlin, until he realised what he had been unnerved by had been a pumpkin with a candle inside and some fluttering bunting.

“You don't have to try and attack everything,” Merlin teased.

“It's a good idea to be cautious, Merlin.”

“So, if a wall moves, are you going to try and slice it with your sword?”

“No wall would dare challenge me,” Arthur replied.

They wandered on for ages but the corridors were more or less deserted, everyone obviously preparing for the Halloween celebrations. It felt eerily quiet, even more so considering Arthur had only just got used to the hallways and corridors crammed with bodies and noise.

“It's spooky, isn't it?” Merlin whispered..

Arthur nodded. “Not scared, Merlin?”

“With my big, scary, knight-in-training boyfriend with me? Of course not.”

They heard the sound of running footsteps and Arthur saw a figure further down the corridor, coming toward them very quickly. Automatically, he raised his sword.

“Who is it?” he asked.

“I don't know,” Merlin replied.

As the figure came into view Arthur recognised the small stature. “Mordred?”

There was no answer, but now he was close enough for Arthur to be sure it was him. “Mordred?” he called.

“Are you all right?” Merlin shouted from beside Arthur.

Mordred rushed into Arthur, hard enough to make him stumble back. The boy was panting hard and looked very frightened. Just looking at him made Arthur feel queasy; his temples hurt.

“Professor Muirden is in trouble,” Mordred said, trying to catch his breath. “There's a cockatrice in the dungeons. He went down to deal with it but I think it has him trapped. I heard it and came to get help.”

“What's a cockatrice?” Arthur asked.

“They're usually found in forests,” Merlin explained. “They're vicious creatures with very pwoerful venom.”

“Great,” Arthur said. “Maybe I should have paid more attention in Professor Mandrake's lectures.”

“Professor Muirden needs help!” Mordred said, worriedly. “You have to help him.”

Arthur should have said he and Merlin weren't really equipped for fending off a vicious, venomous creature, but Mordred was looking at him hopefully. “You go and fetch the knights,” Arthur said. “Merlin and I will see what the situation is.”

Mordred nodded and then set off running down the corridor.

“We should wait for them,” Merlin said, concerned.

“If we do that the Professor might end up dead,” Arthur pointed out. “We can't leave him.”

Merlin looked serious. “I know.”

They headed down to the dungeons. It was a part of the castle rarely visited, by anyone Merlin had teased Arthur with stories about students being imprisoned down there for cheating. Of course no one actually knew what the dungeons were for, if they had ever been used that way. The only one that would know was Professor Kilgharrah, and he never told anyone.

The farther they ventured down into the dungeons, the more the atmosphere changed. It was dark and felt slightly chilly, as if there was a cool breeze blowing through the old tunnels.

“We need some light,” Arthur said, as he strained to see where they were going. The floor was uneven and sandy and he worried about stumbling.

“Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme,” Merlin whispered, and an orb of blue light hovered above them, bathing the stone walls with an eerie glow.

“Thank you,” Arthur said.

They went further on.

“I can't hear anything,” Merlin whispered. “What if we're...?”

“We'll keep going,” Arthur replied. “It can't be much further.”

They were approaching another set of stairs when they heard someone cry out.

“Professor?” Arthur called.

There was another cry but it was indistinct, the sound echoing, bouncing off the walls, making it difficult to tell the direction it had come from.

“Come on,” Arthur said, heading off down the stairs. Merlin followed closely behind.

Arthur's head was really pounding now, he told himself it was just the pressure of being thrown into a life threatening situation. He held his sword even more tightly, gripping it so the tendons in his hand hurt until he relaxed his grip a little.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs they could see Professor Muirden backed against a wall, crouching, and throwing out small fireballs, that seemed to be doing little good. Before him was a large creature, lizard-like creature, with a large fan of spiked protrusions on its back. It reminded Arthur of the models of dinosaurs he had seen in museums as a child.

“Is that the cockatrice?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah. Don't let it touch you. The spikes and claws are venomous.”

They advanced toward it quietly, although Arthur was acutely aware of the sound of their footsteps on the dirt floor. Each step produced a crunching sound as they trod over small stones and sand.

“You distract it,” Arthur whispered. “I'll try and injure it with my sword.”

“How do I distract it?” Merlin hissed.

“I don’t know...with magic?”

“I hope this works,” Merlin muttered.

The creature was so fixated on its prey that it didn't see them coming toward it. Arthur thought that if they approached from behind they might have the advantage of surprise. It was hissing loudly, and it was clear Professor Muirden was injured as blood had soaked through the part of his cloak covering his arm.

“Now, Merlin,” Arthur said, raising his sword in readiness.

“Ástríce,” Merlin said, forcefully. He formed a fire ball and aimed it at the back of the creature's head.

It hit with complete accuracy, and the creature spun around to face Merlin. Its eyes glittered as Arthur stepped forward, preparing to attack. Merlin's blue orb of light was the only source of illumination in the tunnel, apart from a few small pieces of wood that had been set alight by the professor's attempts to fend the creature off.

As the cockatrice approach, its focus was on Merlin but Arthur was not going to let it hurt him. Before the creature could get within range to swipe at Merlin, Arthur swung his sword at it. Was unable to land a blow on the creature as his sword went whistling past. The noise was enough to get the attention of the cockatrice, and it now turned toward Arthur.

It was raising it's clawed foot to swipe at him when Merlin, still a little out of range, aimed another fireball. Now the creature was faced with two, equally distracting targets, confused about which to go for. Arthur swiped at it with his sword again as he saw the creature turn toward Merlin, but again it was just out of reach. He swung his sword around a few times to keep the creature’s attention on him, and away from Merlin.

There wasn't much room to manoeuvre in the small space. Merlin was aiming another fireball when Arthur acted purely on instinct. Again it was as if he knew what was happening before it happened. He could see the creature rear up and come close enough to hit Merlin but as it raised itself for the strike Arthur used his sword to finally land a blow on the creature’s foreleg.

Merlin was startled and stumbled back, almost tripping. With his concentration briefly lost he struggled to maintain the light orb. Arthur knew it was now or never; the creature was writhing in pain and lashing out blindly. Arthur waited for his moment, and, as the creature reared up again, its soft underbelly was exposed.

Arthur didn't hesitate as he pushed his sword as deep as he could into the creature, and then jerked it to one side as he pulled it out, slicing open the cockatrice's belly. With one last howl it fell to the ground. Then it was still as dark blood trickled out across the floor.

Wiping his brow, Arthur found he was breathing hard. He turned to check on Merlin who was standing off to one side, looking down at the slain creature.

“Are you all right?” Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded. “You killed it,” he said, looking at the body. “You did it.”

“I did,” Arthur replied, half disbelieving it himself.

It was then that they noticed Professor Muirden had slipped to the ground and wasn't. They went over together and Merlin bent down, pressing his fingers to the Professor's neck.

“Is he alive?”

Merlin nodded. “We need to get him to Gaius,” he said. “If he's been scratched he'll have venom in his body. He needs the antidote.”

Arthur helped Merlin haul the Professor to his feet and they made their way up the stairs. Merlin used a spell to lighten the Professor’s body so he was easier to carry as he was unconscious, and otherwise a dead weight. It wasn't easy getting him out of the dungeon area and into the corridors.

By the time they made it back into the main part of the castle, the others were waiting for them: Morgana, Gwen, Lancelot, Gwaine and Mordred, along with Professors Gaius and Nimueh. As soon as Arthur and Merlin came into view they rushed forward to help them with Professor Muirden.

“He was scratched by a cockatrice,” Merlin said, as Gaius unfastened the Professor's cloak and robes to reveal a deep, nasty looking wound.

“A cockatrice?” Nimueh said, looking concerned. “Where is it?”

“Arthur killed it,” Merlin said

Nimueh turned to Arthur. “You killed a cockatrice, Mr Pendragon?”

Arthur nodded. “I couldn’t have done it without Merlin,” he replied.

Arthur didn't know if it was the adrenaline or the effort he'd expended, but he wasn't feeling great. “I think I need a lie down,” he said.

“I'll need to speak with you both later,” Gaius said, as Lancelot and Gwaine helped carry Professor Muirden.

“Of course,” Arthur replied.

He and Merlin headed back to their chambers, and collapsed together onto Arthur's bed.

“Next time,” Arthur said, quietly, “perhaps we should wait for help.”

Merlin put his arms around Arthur and snuggled into him. “Yeah, but you were brilliant.”

“So were you.”

*****************************************************************************

A couple of hours later Gaius came to see them. Arthur was feeling much better, and Merlin had even managed to get the dried cockatrice blood off Arthur's sword.

“Because I don't want Gwen to yell at you,” Merlin had said.

“At least this got us out of bunting making,” Arthur had replied.

Now, feeling refreshed they were anxious to hear what Gaius had to say.

“Is Professor Muirden all right?” Merlin asked.

“He will recover, but it will take time,” Gaius said, solemnly. “We may never know why he was down there. The venom can affect the brain.”

“How did the cockatrice get in?” Arthur asked.

“We're looking into it,” Gaius said, quickly. “In the meantime Professor Kilgharrah wants to see the both of you.”

“Professor Kilgharrah the dragon?” Arthur asked, to make sure. He hadn't seen him since their arrival at Camelot. The Professor didn't teach lessons, and no student was ever heard to visit him.

“Yes, come with me, please.”

Dutifully Arthur and Merlin followed Gaius through the castle. They ended up in a place that Arthur didn't even vaguely recognise. Gaius tapped a blank wall, and a door way opened to reveal a set of stairs leading down, very like the ones leading down to the dungeons. Torches were positioned along each wall, lighting the way.

“Where are we?” Arthur whispered to Merlin.

“Professor Kilgharrah lives under the castle,” Merlin replied. “In a cave.”

Well, he was a dragon Arthur supposed. He was hardly going to be living in a house.

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and went rough several doorways, before finding themselves in a vast underground cavern, easily large enough to fit the whole castle inside it. They were standing on a relatively small ledge, with Professor Kilgharrah perched on a rock across from them.

“It is good to see you again,” he said, his voice echoing and rumbling through the empty space. “Gaius, you may leave us.”

Gaius nodded. “I''ll wait for you at the top of the stairs,” he said.

With Gaius gone Arthur felt rather awkward under the dragon's gaze. Those bright gold eyes seemed to hold centuries of knowledge.

“I believe you saved the life of Professor Muirden. That was a brave act to undertake.”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Merlin said, cheerful, and not the least bit intimidated.

“We had to do something,” Arthur agreed.

“You must be careful of both your friends and your foes,” Kilgharrah said. “Your destiny is a great one but you must be cautious. Let your hearts guide you.”

Arthur exchanged a glance with Merlin. He was pretty sure Merlin hadn’t understood the dragon's words either. “Thank you,” they said in unison.

“I won't keep you from the celebrations any longer. We shall meet again soon.”

With a few powerful beats of his wings Professor Kilgharrah flew up from the the rock, and off into the dark recesses of the cave.

“Well, that was interesting,” Arthur observed.

“You never get straight answers from a dragon,” Merlin replied. “My father always said they speak in riddles to annoy people.”

Arthur didn't feel annoyed as much as puzzled by what the Professor had meant. “We should head back,” he said.

As he had promised, Gaius was waiting at the top of the stairs. He escorted them to the Great Hall, where the rest of the students were already gathered. The bunting had been completed and hung up, along with traditional decorations of skeletons, and witches on broomsticks. Carved pumpkins, glowing with light, floated about the room, and there were several large cauldrons positioned at various points from which a few of the older students were ladling punch. At least Arthur hoped it was punch.

“Arthur! Merlin!” came a shout and Arthur saw Elena and Gilli waving at them.

They headed over to their friends.

“We heard you killed a cockatrice, Arthur,” Elena said, excitedly. “Is it true?”

“Yes,” Arthur admitted. “But I couldn't have done without Merlin.”

“It was nothing really,” Merlin said, shyly. “Arthur did all the hard work.”

“Merlin distracted it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and his magic.”

“You saved Professor Muirden's life,” Gilli said “You should be proud. Both of you.”

There was moment of silence and Arthur wasn't really sure what to say. “Thank you,” he said, finally.

“Now, who wants some punch?” Elena asked.

*****************************************************************************

The next morning Arthur woke up in Merlin's bed with a terrible headache that could have been caused by only one thing.

He groaned. “The punch was alcoholic, wasn't it?”

Merlin, who had fallen asleep with his head pillowed on Arthur's chest, nodded. “I think it was spiked as well.”

“Do you have a hangover cure spell handy?”

“I don’t think I can do any magic,” Merlin said, weakly. “Let’s just lie here.”

“Yeah, that sounds a good idea,” Arthur agreed. He had no desire to move, though it would be nice to stop his head pounding.

They had at least discovered why the day after Halloween was a day off lectures at Camelot.

 

*****************************************************************************

November came and went without anything exciting happening, which suited Arthur just fine. The students looked at him differently now, with a bit more respect. He was no longer the mundane who couldn’t do magic; he was a cockatrice slayer.

Training with the knights continued, and Arthur steadily improved. He went to his lectures, and practised his magic with Merlin. They celebrated their two month anniversary by sneaking up to the tallest of the castle's towers and sharing a picnic. Morgana called them ridiculously romantic when she heard.

Professor Muirden recovered slowly, but it seemed he had no knowledge of what had gone on in the dungeons. His lessons were covered by Professor Nimueh and, for awhile, Arthur's headaches stopped. Everything was going well, and Arthur barely noticed the weeks fly by. Before he knew it, it was December, and the semester was nearly over.

“So, what are you doing for Christmas?” Elena asked, whilst they sat studying one evening. “Father is taking me to a unicorn sanctuary.”

“I'm going home to help my mother,” Gilli said. “Now I can do a little magic I'll be able to help her more.”

“I'm going home too,” Merlin said, smiling. “I can't wait to see if the wyverns have grown.”

“What about you, Arthur?” Elena asked, and Arthur felt the eyes of his friends turn to him.

“I don't know. I think I might be staying here. I hadn't made any plans,” he said. The truth was he hadn't even been thinking about Christmas.

“Maybe you should ask your sister,” Merlin suggested.

“That might just be a good idea, Merlin.”

“Might?”

Elena smiled. “You two are adorable,” she said.

Arthur ignored her, and just smiled at Merlin.

He easily tracked Morgana down during lunchtime the next day. The whole castle was starting to get colder. Probably because of the random snow falls that had started happening in corridors. He'd even had one appear over his bed, but Merlin had managed to magic it out of the way before his bed buried under snow.

He and Morgana talked in one of the warmer spots in a corridor that had, so far, remained snow free.

“What are you doing for Christmas?” he asked.

“I'll be spending it with Morgause. She lives in the same place our mother used to,” Morgana said. “It's quiet, peaceful, and there's no need for awkward small talk with Father.”

“Doesn't Father mind about that?”

Morgana shrugged. “Of course he does, but he can't stop me. Now you know about Camelot there's no need for me to go home to keep up the pretence of a happy family. What about you?”

“I've not spoken to Father.”

“Then you can do what you please, Arthur.”

“And go where? I'll probably end up staying here.”

“You could always ask Merlin.”

Arthur sighed. “He's going home. Do you really think he'd want to take me with him?”

“Ask him or you'll never know,” Morgana replied.

Of course it was easy for Morgana to say that. She had family in this world, she knew how to act around magical people. Arthur didn't have much of an idea what Merlin's parents were like. His mother sounded nice, but he'd only briefly met her at the station and heard her speak through an enchanted letter. Not exactly much to get an impression from.

He walked around the cold corridors thinking about it until his hands and feet began to feel a little numb, but he was no closer to a solution. It didn't feel right to ask Merlin to spend Christmas with him. His father had always told him not to ask for things, not even from friends.

As he wandered back to their chambers Arthur decided that perhaps he should stay at Camelot. That way at least he wouldn't embarrass Merlin in front of his parents. He knew a few of the students were staying behind, mostly to take advantage of the peace and quiet. He did have plenty of studying to do. Gaius seemed to think Christmas was an excuse to lumber them with even more reading material than usual.

When he got back to their chambers Merlin was packing. Well, technically, Merlin's things were packing themselves and he was supervising.

“So, what are you doing for Christmas?” Merlin asked, expectantly.

“I think I might just stay here,” Arthur admitted, sitting down heavily on his bed.

“Or you can come home with me.”

“You want to take me home to meet your parents?”

Merlin frowned, and a book faltered as it floated about in the air. “Isn't that what boyfriends do? Or do mundanes not bother?”

“They do bother. I just wasn't sure you'd want to introduce to your parents.

“Why not?”

“I can't really do magic, I was brought up mundane, and I have no idea how to act in front of magical parents. Did you really have to ask, Merlin?”

“Does anyone know how to act in front of their boyfriend's parents? I mean, I wouldn’t know how to act in front of your father.”

Arthur was not ready to talk to Merlin about him meeting his father yet. Writing and telling your father you were a gay wizard with a boyfriend was a little different than presenting him with the reality. Arthur changed the subject. “I've never seen a wyvern.”

“Then you should come and meet mine.”

“You really want me to come with you?” Arthur hadn't let himself hope.

“Yes, Arthur, I do. And I'm not taking no for an answer.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“Unless you can't pack and you're too embarrassed to say.”

“I can pack. With less dramatics than you,”Arthur said, pointing to the items floating about Merlin's suitcase.

“Good., because I already told my mother you'd be coming.”

“When did you tell her that?”

“When you said you weren't sure what you were doing over Christmas. She really wants to meet you.”

Arthur groaned. He felt more nervous than he had when he'd arrived in Camelot. He had no doubt that Merlin's mother was nice, that both of Merlin's parents were nice, but he had to make a good impression. He cared deeply about Merlin and wanted to see him happy.

Gwaine and Lancelot who took them to the station and helped with their luggage, small as it was with just Arthur's rucksack and Merlin’s suitcase. They boarded a small train that was heading out to the outlying villages, one of which was Ealdor. It was the closest village to the wyvern reservation where Merlin and his parents lived.

“It's still the best way to travel,” Merlin said. “Transparating's difficult with all the wards in place.”

At least Arthur had learnt enough about wards to know that magically transporting yourself close to wards was a sure fire way to be injured or worse. He was just hoping that he wouldn’t make some kind of faux pas about something else magical that would embarrass Merlin. Merlin still said things that Arthur needed explaining; such as why exactly you never left gold in plain sight of a goblin.

“Thank you for inviting me, Merlin,” Arthur said, perhaps a little too formally.

“You're welcome, Arthur,” Merlin replied, smiling.

In his cage, Archimedes squawked. The owl had not been happy to have to go back in a cage after months of freedom, flying where he wanted to, when he wanted to, but Merlin had refused to let him fly home on his own, so he had to grin and bear it.

Merlin's mother met them at the station. Ealdor station was tiny, really it was just a platform, there were no station buildings, just one very old sign on a crumbling platform. Ivy grew everywhere, and even the rails appeared rusty. Apparently not many people travelled to Ealdor, at least by train.

Arthur and Merlin were the only two getting off at Ealdor, the train had emptied pretty much already as students went home to their villages. Once they got onto the platform Arthur saw Merlin's mother waiting for them, recognising her from the brief moment he'd spoken to her at the station, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

“Merlin!” she called and immediately Merlin was swept up in a hug. “You look so well,” she smiled, kissing his forehead.

A little bit of jealousy flared in Arthur. He'd never had a parent greet him with a hug and a kiss, although his mother probably would have, had she been alive. As it was he felt awkward, until Merlin's mother let go of her son and came up to Arthur, smiling.

“Arthur,” she said, enveloping him in a hug. Arthur felt a little awkward, unsure about whether to put his arms around her or not. He tried it in the end, although it still felt awkward.

Merlin's mother pulled back. “Merlin's told us so much about you,” she said.

“All good I hope?”

She laughed. “Of course. Merlin seems quite taken with you.”

“Mum!”

“It's nice to meet you, Mrs Emrys.”

“Call me Hunith,” she replied.

“Hunith,” Arthur repeated. He wasn't used to such easy informality. Clearly this was the parent Merlin had inherited his friendly nature from.

“It's just a short walk to the house,” Hunith said, cheerfully. “Can you manage your things?”

“Yes, thank you,” Arthur replied. He only had his rucksack to worry about. Merlin had apparently 'enlarged it' using magic. Arthur was hoping it wouldn't swallow him up when he unpacked.

It was dark as they walked along, the winter sun had long since set, so Arthur was unable to see what was normally beautiful countryside. Of course, that didn't prevent Merlin from attempting to point out the various landmarks of his childhood.

“I felled that tree over there when I was six,” he said, pointing to a dark lump. “And that's the field where I rode my first wyvern.”

“I can't see, Merlin,” Arthur said, and he knew Merlin would be pouting. “You rode wyverns?” he asked, trying to stop Merlin sulking

It worked, Merlin told him in great detail how, at the age of seven, he had persuaded one of the wyverns to sit down so he could ride it.

“He wasn't very happy,” Merlin said, “but he didn't throw me off right away.

Soon they arrived at Merlin's parents' house. From the outside it appeared to be a small cottage, much smaller than the house Arthur had grown up in. The stone walls looked slightly uneven, giving the cottage an odd look, as if it had been corroded by the wind. The roof too seemed crooked, and there was a chimney that appeared to lean to one side. The whole thing looked pretty unstable, and Arthur wondered if it wasn't all held together with magic. He hoped it was held together with something.

The front door was white, though the paint was peeling, and Hunith opened it with a wave of her hand, beckoning Merlin and Arthur inside. “Come in,” she said.

Stepping inside Arthur wondered if he had stepped into a different house, or possibly the TARDIS, as inside it was much larger. It wasn't a mansion, but the hallway was quite large, and airy, with plenty of space, and there was a staircase leading up, though the cottage hadn't even seemed big enough for another level from the outside.

The whole place felt very homely. There were odds and ends all over the place, and the hall had a couple of shelves of odd looking knick knacks, yet it didn’t feel cluttered. The floorboards were bare, apart from the odd brightly patterned rug covering parts of it. The walls were white and clean.

“Yeah, it's bigger on the inside,” Merlin said.

“Should I take my shoes off?” Arthur asked.

“Why would you need to take your shoes off?”

“I don’t want to leave muddy footprints on your mother's clean floor,” Arthur replied.

“Oh don’t worry, the mop and bucket will clear them up.”

Arthur vaguely recalled seeing mops moving by themselves in Camelot. He guessed Merlin meant the home version of that. Keeping his shoes on he followed Hunith and Merlin into the sitting room, which was also larger than he had expected and which matched the look of the hallway. There were shelves full of things, and a large set of bookshelves.

There was a roaring fireplace, surrounded by several soft, comfortable looking chairs. Photographs were dotted all around, several of Merlin as a child, they moved in their frames as Arthur looked at them. Of course there was no television, radio, or any other modern appliance. It was old fashioned but comforting, and very pleasant.

“What do you think?” Merlin asked.

“It's very nice,” Arthur replied. “Homely.”

Merlin was beaming. Even Archimedes looked happier.

“Thank you, Arthur,” Hunith said, smiling. “I did ask Merlin’s father to be here but he gets so involved with those wyverns of his. It's almost time for something to eat so he'll be back soon. In the meantime Merlin can take you upstairs. Will you be all right sharing a room? I've made Merlin's bed bigger.”

Arthur blushed a little, wondering how aware Hunith was of the nature of his and Merlin's relationship. Merlin seemed a little embarrassed as well, if the red tint of his cheeks was any indication. “That will be fine,” Arthur said. “Won’t it Merlin?”

“Oh yes. As long as you don't steal all the covers,” he muttered.

“Just expand the blanket, Merlin,” Hunith said, laughing. She turned to Arthur. “Don't let Merlin fool you, he's been making his bedding bigger since he was a child.”

“Mum!” Merlin looked really embarrassed now, so Arthur decided to do the chivalrous thing.

“Let's see your room then, Merlin,” Arthur said, looking upstairs. “Lead the way.”

“Careful you don't trip,” Merlin said.

“Your stairs don't move, do they?”

“No, but sometimes the rugs like to crawl up here to sleep.”

Arthur looked down, hoping he'd be able to pick out any sleeping rugs. Occasionally he glanced up as they walked but mostly he focussed on his feet and the stairs. There seemed an awful lot of them before they reached the top, and Arthur could breathe a sigh of relief after he'd avoided any rug related mishaps.

Merlin's door was the first one they came to. He followed Merlin inside the dark room. He heard Merlin whisper the spell for light and the room became brighter at once.

“No such thing as light switches then?” he asked. He wasn't even sure where the light was coming from.

“One day you’re going to have to show me what a light switch is,” Merlin replied, placing his things down in the centre of the room.

Having lived with Merlin for a few months, Arthur had got used to a bit of clutter. Merlin did, to his credit, tidy things up when Arthur mentioned them. A good job, or they would have been buried under parchment and Merlin's clothes within a few days. At home, Merlin didn't have a room-mate to please, and as a result the room was full of clutter.

Piles of books lay on the floor, whilst the book shelves themselves were filled with odd trinkets and photographs. Arthur picked out the remains of an egg shell, and judging by the size it hadn't belonged to any creature he knew. There were bottles of bright coloured powders next to it, and string hanging down with what seemed to be fangs on them.

Merlin's floor was littered with clothing, despite there being a large wardrobe against one wall. It wouldn't have surprised Arthur if Merlin old him the wardrobe led to Narnia. Looking up at the ceiling it seemed as if the house had no roof. Arthur watched Arthur was looking as stars danced across a deep blue night sky.

“So, what do you think?” Merlin asked, letting Archimedes out of his cage. The owl immediately flew over to perch on the wardrobe.

“Well, it's a good job you have a room mate or you would have gone missing after a couple of weeks of being at Camelot,” Arthur said. “You would have been found months later under piles of your stuff.”

“It's not that bad,” Merlin said, looking around. “You should have seen it before I left for Camelot.”

“Would we have been able to get through the door?”

Merlin just gave Arthur a look and went to sit on the bed. “Do you want to try it out?” he asked.

“With your mother in the house?”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Arthur, we're going to be sleeping on it. Unless you want to sleep on the floor?”

Arthur looked down at the mess around him. “I don't think there's room.”

“So, come on, sit on the bed.”

Deciding resistance would be futile, Arthur came and sat down next to Merlin. The bed gave way a little and Arthur wondered if that was because it was old, or because it had been made bigger.

“What do you think?” Merlin asked.

“I think I'll be able to sleep on it,” Arthur replied, deliberately leaning closer.

“Are you sure about the sleeping?” Merlin asked.

Arthur wasn't so sure not that Merlin was close enough to kiss. He closed his eyes and was leaning forward to press his lips to Merlin's when they were interrupted.

“Merlin! Arthur! Time for something to eat!” Hunith called.

Arthur opened his eyes and looked at Merlin with disappointment.

“I'm sorry about my mother,” Merlin said. “She just likes to feed people.”

“She's not spying on us, is she?” Arthur asked. “After Morgana tried to scry to see what we were doing when...”

“My mother would never spy on us,” Merlin said, squeezing Arthur's hand. “And she doesn't mind you being here.”

“She does know about us, right?”

“Why do you think she made the bed bigger?” Merlin grinned.

“Boys! Come on!” Hunith called again.

“We should go and get something to eat,” Merlin said, standing up. “My mother's cooking isn't as good as Camelot's but it's edible.”

“That's very reassuring, Merlin.”

Leaving Merlin's room and going down the stairs Arthur was careful to avoid any rugs, only having to step over one which was sleeping on the middle stair. When they reached the bottom they came face to face with a man Arthur recognised from Merlin's photographs; Merlin's father.

“Dad!” Merlin said, practically launching himself at his father.

“Merlin!” He laughed, and enveloped him a hug.

It was a sign of affection Arthur had never had from his own father, and he felt another twinge of jealousy at the fact Merlin's parents clearly weren't shy about showing their affection for him.

“When did you get back?” Merlin asked.

“Just now.” The man, Balinor, Arthur remembered his name was, smiled. He glanced over at Arthur. “This your boyfriend, is it?”

“Yes, this is Arthur. Arthur, this is my father: Balinor.”

Balinor held out a hand and Arthur took it, receiving a firm shake. “Pleased to meet you sir.”

“Call me Balinor,” he replied. “You do look like Ygraine.” He smiled sadly. “I knew your mother quite well when we were younger.”

Arthur wanted to ask how well, and what Balinor could tell him about his mother, but at that moment Hunith bustled into the hallway. “The food's getting cold and I don't want to have to heat it up again,” she said. “Come on.”

Family dinners with Merlin and his parents were much different to the awkward, stilted ones Arthur had had at home. There were no awkward silences, or indeed any silences at all. Merlin talked animately about Camelot, mostly about what he and Arthur had done together, Arthur noted. Sometimes, Merlin would pause long enough for Arthur to interject, and Hunith and Balinor both asked him questions.

“Fighting a cockatrice is a dangerous undertaking,” Balinor said. “You're very brave.”

“I had Merlin there,” Arthur replied. “And we didn't have a choice.”

“You did very well,” Hunith said, quietly. “I'm proud of you both.”

Arthur was stunned that anyone could be proud of him. Uther rarely said anything like that, and here was his boyfriend's mother telling Arthur she was proud of him.

“Thank you.”

Talk turned to wyverns and by the end of the meal Arthur felt when they tackled wyverns in Professor Mandrake's lectures he'd be able to get full marks. Balinor promised to take both of them out to see the wyvern colony the next day. Merlin assured Arthur he'd enjoy it.

After the meal was over Arthur offered to help with the clearing up but Hunith just looked at him sadly, as if he didn't understand.

“You don't need to help,” she said. “Watch.”

Arthur did watch as the plates and cutlery began to float. They rose up off the table and floated across the room to the kitchen door, which opened to let them through.

“They're going to wash themselves up?” Arthur guessed.

“Yes,” Hunith replied. “A bit different to what you're used to.”

Arthur nodded. Of course at Camelot the table did always clear itself but Arthur hadn't thought such magic would apply to the home as well. In a way, Camelot had stood apart, a magical place on its own, but magic was part of everything in Avalon. It was an intrinsic part of the world.

“It's a good different,” Arthur said, finally.

After the dinner things had cleared themselves up Merlin was sent to check on the wyvern nest in the shed at the back of the house. Arthur suspected it was a deliberate ploy, as Balinor and Hunith stayed behind, waiting until Merlin was out of earshot before speaking.

“Don't look worried, Arthur,” Hunith said. “We just want a talk.”

“Is this about Merlin and me?” he asked.

Both of Merlin's parents nodded.

“If it's a problem....”

“Oh no!” Hunith replied. “We understand.”

Balinor nodded. “Hunith and I met on the train to Camelot and we've not been apart since.” Grasping his wife's hand, Balinor smiled. “We want you to know we support you.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said. He took things with Merlin one day at a time. They'd been together just a couple of months, and it was too early to think about forever, but sometimes Arthur felt as if they didn't have to, as if it had already been decided that forever was exactly what they would have together.

“Merlin made a good choice with you,” Hunith said. “Kilgharrah said he would.”

“Professor Kilgharrah spoke to you about it?”

Balinor laughed. “Nothing gets past that old dragon. That's why every couple that comes out of Camelot stays together. You can't argue with destiny.”

“Destiny,” Arthur murmured.

“Does your father know?” Hunith asked.

“I wrote him a letter,” Arthur replied. “I don't really know what he thinks.” Arthur wished he knew how his father felt about it.

“Ygraine would have been proud of you,” Hunith said, touching Arthur's cheek. “She was a good friend.”

“Could you tell me about her?” Arthur asked.

Hunith nodded. “We will. First though we want to show you something.”

She got up and went to a small cupboard, brought out a large photo album bound in leather and laid it on the table. “It wouldn’t be a first meeting with your boyfriend's parents if we didn't show you embarrassing pictures of Merlin when he was a baby.”

Although Arthur had been hoping the pictures were of his mother he couldn’t be disappointed, not as Hunith opened the album to a picture of a tiny, newborn Merlin, fast asleep. As she turned the page Merlin got bigger, and Arthur had to admit he was a cute looking baby.

By the time Merlin returned Arthur was chuckling over a naked Merlin, about two years old, waving a couple of flowers, whilst being licked by a baby wyvern.

“I knew I shouldn't have left,” Merlin groaned.

*****************************************************************************

In bed together that night Arthur felt the urge to snuggle close. He didn't get to share a bed with Merlin at Camelot often; their beds were too small to make a habit of it, and resolutely refused to come together, so he was determined to make the most of the opportunity.

“You were a cute baby,” Arthur said, kissing Merlin's temple.

“Of course I was,” Merlin replied.

“Chubby too.”

“Everyone has puppy fat.”

“Merlin, it wasn't an insult.”

“My mother showed you my embarrassing baby pictures,” Merlin groaned, burying his face in Arthur's neck.

“Your father was there as well. It was...nice. Your parents are wonderful.”

Merlin shifted and looked at Arthur. “You like them?”

“I love them.” Arthur kissed the tip of Merlin's nose. “Not the same way I love you, obviously.” He tightened his hold on Merlin. “Thank you, Merlin.”

“Happy Christmas, Arthur,” Merlin whispered.

*****************************************************************************

Over the next couple of days Arthur found himself settling into life in the Emrys household. Merlin insisted on introducing him to every wyvern on the reservation. How Merlin could even tell the differences between them Arthur didn't know. One grey scaly creature looked much like another as far as Arthur was concerned.

“Why is he looking at me as if he wants to eat me?” Arthur asked, after being introduced to Dagonet, one of Merlin's favourites.

“I think he likes you,” Merlin replied.

“Because I look like a good meal?”

“Well...maybe. He's a bit protective.”

“Why did I agree to date a wizard with bodyguards that can kill me?”

“My charming wit?”

“Just make sure we make it back to your house alive, Merlin.”

In between getting tours of every tree and every rock, courtesy of Merlin, Arthur also spent time with Merlin’s parents who treated him as family rather than a guest.

“You're Ygraine's son,” Hunith said. “That makes you family.”

Arthur also decided that, nice as it was to go about the Avalon countryside with Merlin and several wyverns at his side, the last thing he wanted was to fall behind with his studies. He was acutely aware he had a lot to prove to his classmates and although, with Merlin’s help, he was starting to get the hang of the practical aspects of magic, he didn't want to fall behind on the the theory.

Most evenings he spent time reading his books in the living room, trying to absorb as much as he could. Tonight though he was interrupted by a whooshing noise. A breeze ruffled the pages of his book and he stood up, looking for the source.

A whirlwind was forming in the corner of the room, and Arthur started to see a bright green glow. The wind grew stronger, and he felt himself being blown back. He covered his face as the glow intensified. There was an odd sort of popping noise and then the wind abruptly stopped. Arthur uncovered his eyes, and saw Merlin and Balinor standing there with a large tree.

He knew they’d gone to get a Christmas tree. They’d invited Arthur along, but Arthur had declined, realising it was a tradition between father and son that went back to when Merlin was tiny. This though, hadn't been quite what he was expecting.

“What do you think?” Merlin asked, stepping back from the tree to admire it.

“It's very big,” Arthur replied. Indeed the whole thing barely fitted in the room. It was wide enough to block out one of the windows, and so tall the top bent where it met the ceiling.

“Brilliant, isn't it?”

Hunith came out of the kitchen to look. “Oh it's perfect,” she said.

Balinor smiled and came to put his arm around his wife.

“Do you want to help us decorate the tree, Arthur?” Hunith asked.

Merlin turned to him looking very hopeful.

“Of course,” Arthur replied. “I'd be honoured. And it's probably more fun than reading about the uses of rosemary in stimulating magic glow in the wings of bats.”

Of course decorating a magical Christmas tree was different than decorating a mundane one. For a start the ornaments moved. They waved, jumped, or played instruments, each one excitedly animated and pretty difficult to hold onto.

“They’re just excited about being out of the box,” Merlin said, as Arthur grappled with a Father Christmas who was trying to climb up his arm.

Then there were the spells for the ribbons and the tinsel, which wasn't tinsel but some sort of strange shiny stuff that dissipated if you put your hand through it only to reform again. Arthur didn't know the spells for that bit, but Merlin did and shared them. He carefully held onto Arthur as Arthur conjured his first ribbon.

“Bende,” he said. Slowly, a red ribbon formed out of thin air, and tied itself into a bow.

It was as slightly wonky ribbon, but it was in one piece, and Arthur was quite pleased with his effort.

The final touch was the star, which they all created together, touching hands and letting it form above them, before guiding it carefully to the top of the tree. Arthur felt such a strong sense of belonging; he wondered if his mother had experienced this with her own family. He hoped she had.

Putting the tree up had made Arthur acutely aware that Christmas was only a couple of days away and he didn't have anything to give Merlin. traditionally, gifts were given at Christmas. He assumed gifts were a tradition in the magical world as much as they were in the mundane one. Most social things seemed the same: university, boyfriends, Christmas trees, so presumably the gift giving aspects were as well.

Which was why, one evening, when Merlin was helping Hunith with a cooking spell, Arthur sought out Balinor who was in the outbuilding examining the latest batch of wyvern eggs.

“Can I help you, Arthur?” he asked, not looking up from his work.

“I want to get Merlin a gift,” Arthur said. “For Christmas.”

“That's a nice thought.”

“Yes. But I don't have any money.”

Balinor turned to look at Arthur. “Ask Hunith about that.”

“I will,” Arthur said, a little confused. Perhaps Hunith could lend him some money? Even if he had money he hadn’t seen any shops. “Where would I go to buy something?”

“Something will appear,” Balinor replied, shrugging as he turned back to his work.

It felt as though he was intruding on the man and his work, so Arthur retreated back to the house. He had to wait a while before he could speak to Hunith alone, but the lure of wyvern eggs proved strong enough to lure Merlin away from the kitchen long enough for Arthur to speak to Merlin's mother.

“Arthur? Is there anything I can help you with?” Hunith asked as she closed the oven door.

“I want to buy a gift for Merlin, and Balinor said to ask you about that. I don’t have any money.”

“But you do,” Hunith said. “Come with me.”

She led Arthur to a cupboard in the hall and opened it, pulling out a few things haphazardly, as if she was looking for something specific. “When we were in our second year at Camelot Ygraine and I made a bet. She said that one day our sons would share chambers together. Ygraine wasn't a seer so I thought she was just being silly but, here you are.”

Hunith pulled out a small ouch. It seemed she had found what she was looking for. “ Ygraine might not be here to collect her winnings but I'm sure you can put them to good use.”

Arthur took the pouch and looked inside; he could see the shine of metal inside. He tipped the contents of the pouch, several shiny gold coins, onto his hand. “How much is this?”

“It's not a lot if that's what you're worried about. It's yours.”

Arthur put the coins back in the pouch and held it out. “I can't take this.”

“You can,” Hunith replied, pushing it back. “Ygraine was my friend, and my son thinks the world of you. You deserve it.”

Seeing he wasn't going to be able to persuade Hunith to accept the pouch back, Arthur grasped it tightly in his hand. “Thank you,” he said.

“You should go out and buy Merlin his gift before he gets back,” Hunith said.

“From where?”

“Just walk down the road. You'll find somewhere.”

It all sounded rather cryptic to Arthur, but Hunith's face looked encouraging, so he got his coat and went outside. The air was crisp, and there was a light dusting of frost and snow, but Arthur didn't feel particularly cold. Apparently, people with magic didn't suffer the cold as much as others, which probably explained why Arthur had been able to throw snowballs with his bare hands as a child.

As he wandered along the road along the road, he wondered if perhaps there was a shop in Ealdor where he might find an appropriate gift. The village was so small it was unlikely, but not impossible. As he continued further along the road he started to notice an odd mist forming. It skirted around the edge of the lane at first, but soon spread out and became more like a fog.

Arthur decided he should turn back, but before he could the fog seemed to envelop him. Blinking, he tried to see through it, but all he could make out was a dark shape ahead. Hoping it was a house, or somewhere he could take shelter, he walked toward it. The fog cleared enough for Arthur to see it wasn't a house but a very old looking shop.

Above the door was a black sign with faded gold lettering that read 'Taliesin's Cave of Trinkets'. The windows were dirty, but Arthur could make out the gleam of several objects inside. Maybe this was what Hunith and Balinor had meant. Arthur hoped so as he pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered the shop.

The place was more cluttered than anything Arthur had ever seen, even more so than Merlin's bedroom. Strange objects were everywhere, jammed on the shelves and in the corners, taking up all the available space. Most of the shelves seemed to be made out of what looked like crystal, or glass. Crystal charms hung from the celling and Arthur was so overawed he bumped into one, causing it to jangle.

“Ah, young Mr Pendragon,” came a voice as a man in old robes appeared. He had white hair and a beard and looked a little unkempt, as if he hadn't touched a comb in some time. His robes too looked old and tattered, brown and looking like rags.

“How do you know who I am?” Arthur asked, not sure where the man had come from. It seemed as if he had appeared out of thin air.

“I've been wondering when you'd pay me a visit. My name is Taliesin,” he smiled. “And you are here to find a gift for your young man.”

Arthur frowned. “How do you know that?”

Taliesin chuckled. “Magic, of course.” He went over to the counter, also made of glass Arthur noticed. “I have just the thing for you,” he said, reaching under the counter. “Here we are.” He pulled out a green box.

He placed the box on the counter. The box was old and tattered. He beckoned Arthur over and Arthur felt strangely compelled to see what this gift was. He watched as Taliesin lifted the lid off to reveal a silver dragon necklace nestled on velvet cushion.

“It's a charm,” Taliesin said, looking carefully at Arthur. “It has a protection spell on it,” he turned the charm over, “and it has half of a scale from the great dragon himself woven into it.”

Within the metal lay a fragment of brown scale that seemed to have an almost golden sheen. “It's beautiful.”

“And a perfect gift,” Taliesin said, smiling.

“How much is it?”

“As much as you have in that pouch you're carrying,” came the reply. “No more. No less.”

“I'll take it,” Arthur said, tipping the contents of the pouch onto the counter next to the box.

Taliesin put the lid back on the box. “I knew you would. It was nice to meet you, Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur was about to reply when suddenly there was a strong gust of air and he found himself on the road, the box in his hand. He turned around but the shop had gone, as had the mist. There was no sign it had even been there, the only proof was the box in his hand. Arthur carefully opened it and saw the dragon charm safely nestled inside.

Looking up, he could see Merlin's home in the distance and he walked back toward it.

Keeping the gift a secret from Merlin wasn't easy, but Arthur managed to hide it in his rucksack. He even managed to get some paper to wrap it up in, courtesy of Hunith. Merlin, to his credit, never actually asked Arthur if he'd got him a gift. Although he probably realised when Arthur carefully placed the package under the tree last thing on Christmas Eve before they went to bed.

*****************************************************************************

Christmas Day came almost too soon for Arthur. He was jolted awake at who knew what hour in the morning by a rather excited Merlin.

“What time is?”

Merlin was already tugging Arthur out of bed. “Time for you to come and see what your gifts are.”

“Please tell me a man in a red suit with a beard didn't actually deliver them.”

“My father doesn’t own a red suit.”

Arthur sighed; he was not awake enough to get into that conversation. “All right then, Merlin, let's go.”

When they got downstairs Hunith and Balinor were already waiting for them.

“Happy Christmas, Merlin, Arthur,” Hunith said, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

“Happy Christmas,” Arthur replied, feeling warm and happy despite the early hour.

“Come on, Arthur, you need to open your gifts.”

Arthur was surprised to discover an entire pile of gifts waiting for him among the ones for the Emrys family. “Where did these come from?” he asked, amazed. There hadn't been this many when he'd gone to bed.

“This one's from Morgana,” Merlin said, picking up one and reading the label. “There's one from Gwen and one from the knights. One from Gilli, one from Elena and oh, one from Gaius...”

“But I didn't get them anything,” Arthur blurted out. He hadn't even thought about it but then he hadn't expected any gifts from them either.

“I'm sure it'll be fine,” Hunith said, giving Arthur a wink.

He gulped. “Thank you.”

“So, which one are you going to open first?” Merlin asked.

“Don't you have your own gifts to open?”

“Yes, but yours look more interesting.”

“How about we all open our gifts together?” Hunith suggested.

Arthur nodded, feeling relieved. He picked up the gift from Morgana and opened it. It was a blue box, and inside was a selection of crystals.

“Oh, those are seeing crystals,” Merlin said, opening his own, identical, gift from Morgana.

“Seeing crystals?”

“You can use them for scrying,” Merlin explained. “That's good of your sister to buy us each a set.”

“It is,” Arthur said. “But how do they work?”

“I'll show you later,” Merlin said. “We'll be using them in our second year at Camelot anyway.”

Putting the crystals to one side Arthur opened the next gift. There was a jumper from Gwen, and chain mail from the knights. Elena had gifted him with a carved wooden horse that seemed to have a mind of its own. The gift from Gilli was a beautiful wand carved with various runes and finished in black ebony.

Merlin's gifts were similar, and as varied. He, too, had a jumper from Gwen, but the knights had gifted him with a tankard, and a book that made Merlin blush. He wouldn't say what it was about, just mumbled and hid it under his jumper. Gilli had given Merlin a wand made of holly, and Elena had gifted him with a carved wooden unicorn.

As the piles of gifts went opened Arthur's heart pounded as he waited for Merlin to find the one from him. First though, he saw a large rectangular present, which the label told him was for him from Hunith and Balinor. He picked it up, and found it was quite weighty; it felt a lot like a book. Intrigued Arthur pulled off the wrapping and saw it looked a lot like a book, too, with an embossed leather cover.

“Open it,” Hunith said.

Carefully, Arthur turned to what he thought was the first page, only to see a picture of a blonde woman staring back at him. She was smiling shyly and swaying a little. She looked very familiar. “Mother?”

Hunith put a hand on his shoulder. “Merlin told us how you never really knew your mother. We thought you deserved to know about her. This album is full of pictures of her. We took a lot when we were at Camelot. There's a few from her earlier life, ones we kept for her. I know it doesn't bring her back, but perhaps it might help you see her as we knew her.”

“She was beautiful,” Arthur whispered feeling tears in his eyes.

Merlin's arms came around him and he whispered in Arthur's ear. “Yes, she was. That's where you get it from.”

It took awhile for Arthur to feel ready to get back to gift opening. He clutched the album tightly and tried to commit the images he saw to memory, as if they would disappear if he looked away. He saw pictures of his mother looking happy, relaxed. There were pictures of her doing magic, dancing, or simply reading, each one a window into the person he had never known, but to whom he owed his life.

Eventually, though, he realised there was one gift he hadn't opened yet; the one from Merlin.

“I'm not sure it compares to pictures of your mother,” Merlin said, as Arthur picked it up. “But I hope you like it.”

The gift was small, and Arthur wondered if he had picked up the right present when he tore off the wrapping and saw a familiar-looking deep green box. He took off the lid, and what he saw inside was not quite what he had expected. Nestled against a background of blue velvet was a golden dragon charm.

“Merlin, it's...perfect,” Arthur said.

“It's got a protection charm on it,” Merlin replied. “And...”

“Half of a scale of the great dragon himself,” Arthur said, finishing the sentence.

“How did you know?” Merlin frowned. “I thought I hid it...”

“Merlin, open your present from me.”

Still looking puzzled, Merlin did so, his puzzlement turning to surprise and recognition when he saw what was inside the box. “Oh,” he said, lifting it out. “It's the same. Except silver. Do you think...?”

Arthur took his charm out of the box and held it up next to Merlin's. They looked at the back of both, and it was pretty clear that each half of the scale embedded in the charm was a match to the other.

“Taliesin?” Merlin asked.

“Taliesin,” Arthur replied.

Merlin's parents were smiling delightedly, as if this had some significance that neither Arthur nor Merlin were aware of themselves.

“Well, put them on,” Hunith encouraged.

Merlin held out his charm and Arthur took it, carefully placing it around Merlin's neck and fastening the clasp. With his head bent,Merlin was sorely tempting to Arthur, and he didn't resist a brief run of his fingers across the sensitive skin on Merlin's nape.

When he'd fastened the clasp Arthur stood back a bit. The chain was a perfect length and the charm was resting not far from Merlin's heart. He noticed how the chain dipped along Merlin's collarbone. Realising he was staring, Arthur coughed and bowed his neck to allow Merlin to fasten his charm.

When Merlin had finished, with more than a few caresses Arthur noted, Arthur looked down at the golden dragon. It glinted a little in the light, and he could feel an odd warmth emanating from it; a tingling like his magic. It flared for a moment and then seemed to die down.

“Now I think it's time we got something to eat,” Hunith said.

Arthur nodded. He caught Merlin's eye as they got up to go the kitchen. He had some ideas about some rather different private gift-giving they could do later and, from the way Merlin's hands had lingered as he'd fastened up the necklace, he had a feeling he wasn't the only one with ideas.

*****************************************************************************

The rest of the day passed pleasantly, much more pleasantly than Christmases Arthur had spent at home. There was laughter, conversation, food, and some very odd party games. One involved levitating as many berries as possible whilst drinking a glass of water. Hunith surprisingly won that one.

Later, Merlin's parents excused themselves, saying they had to visit a friend in the village. The fact that Hunith winked at them on her way out made Arthur tjink that perhaps the visit hadn't been that urgent. Arthur was grateful for it. He and Merlin were sitting on the sofa admiring the tree, Arthur lazily stroking Merlin's neck, and playing with the necklaces chain.

“What did your mother mean when she said I didn’t have to worry about getting gifts for everyone?” Arthur asked, observing the pile of gifts they had received.

“When I went to buy your gift from Taliesin's shop I was going to ask about buying gifts for our friends. He said I didn't have to worry that it would be taken care of.”

“Are you telling me the owner of a magical shop that appears out of nowhere, read our minds, and sent gifts to our friends on our behalf?” Arthur asked.

“That's what my mother said when I asked her. It's what he does.”

“Next year we're buying them ourselves,” Arthur said.

“Mmmm,” Merlin agreed.

Arthur pulled him forward for a kiss and, of course, one thing led to another.

“I'm glad you parents aren't here,” Arthur said, as he pulled Merlin's jeans down. “I'd hate to have them to come in when I do this.”

“Do what?” Merlin asked.

Arthur didn't answer, instead moved went down Merlin's body to breathe warmly against his underwear. Before Merlin could say anything, Arthur pulled Merlin's boxers down, unwrapping him like a present, and then breathed gently on Merlin's cock.

“Arthur...”

“Shhh,” Arthur said. “Think of this as your other gift.”

He knew how to touch Merlin, how to stroke him to hardness, but today he knew that wasn't going to be enough. With Merlin hard in his hand, Arthur leaned down and licked Merlin's cock, the foreskin pulling back just enough to reveal the sensitive part. The taste was strange but not completely unpleasant. He was tasting Merlin after-all.

His first experiment over, Arthur licked his way down the hard length. He catalogued the skin with his tongue, as he heard Merlin stifle a groan. The wetness provided a little bit of lubricant for him to run his hand up and down. He began to suck at the head. little by little he took more of Merlin's cock into his mouth. He wasn't completely enveloping it, he didn't think he was ready for that yet, but he kept sucking and licking.

Merlin seemed to be enjoying it if his moans were anything to go by, he'd given up trying to keep quite. Arthur. Arthur kept going, encouraged by Merlin’s responses and the knowledge he was the cause of Merlin’s pleasure. He alternately used his hand and his mouth to stimulate Merlin. Merlin ran a hand through Arthur's hair and down his neck, causing Arthur to shiver. Merlin's hips moved up into Arthur’s touch, and he moved his cock in and out of Arthur's mouth gently.

Arthur touched the sensitive skin around Merlin's groin with one hand, stimulating the spot he knew turned Merlin on. He wanted Merlin to loose control, to let go. At last Merlin gave the tell tale sign he was about to come. Arthur gave a last suck before pulling back to watch Merlin come with a final stroke to his cock.

Leaning down Arthur whispered in Merlin's ear. “Happy Christmas, Merlin.”

“I should give you another present,” Merlin said, lying back on the soft cushions. “And show you what’s in that book the knights gave me.”

Arthur was very glad Merlin's parents weren't going to return for several hours.

******************************************************************************

Sadly, the new year crept up all too quickly. Arthur sent his father a couple of letters over the holidays, but received no reply back. Not that he had been expecting one. Morgana sent him a few letters from Morgause's house, and Arthur did write back, although it took some persuading for Archimedes to take the letters, as he'd become quite settled at home doing nothing. Arthur knew the feeling; he felt completely at home with Merlin and his parents. He'd even learnt not to mind the rugs.

Before long, it was time for Arthur and Merlin to return to their studies at Camelot. Hunith took them to the station. Balinor said a brief goodbye before he went back to check on the wyvern eggs which were due to hatch any day. Arthur had to physically drag Merlin away from them.

“Your father will let you know when they hatch,” he said.

At the station Hunith gave Merlin a hug, telling him to take care of himself and Arthur. Merlin was clearly embarrassed as she fussed over him. Arthur was enjoying watching Merlin get flustered, when Hunith came over and enveloped him in a hug.

“You too, Arthur. You take care of yourself. And Merlin,” Hunith said.

“I will,” Arthur promised, as he awkwardly returned the hug. “Thank you for having me in your home.”

Hunith pulled back and smiled. “It was no trouble. You will come back and visit again?”

Arthur glanced at Merlin. “Well, someone has to make sure Merlin gets home safely.”

“Good. Now you better get on the train, boys,” Hunith said, lightly pushing them along. “You've got everything?”

“Yes, Mum,” Merlin replied. “We’ve checked twice.”

“Don't forget to write, and if either of you need anything just let us know.”

Merlin kissed his mother’s cheek. “We will.”

With a wave Hunith saw them onto the train. It was quiet and, as they seemed to be the first passengers, Arthur and Merlin were able to easily get a compartment to themselves. It was nice to have a bit of privacy - just the two of them and Archimedes. As the train set off, they waved to Hunith until she was no longer visible.

“Sorry about Mum fussing so much,” Merlin said as he sat down.

“I liked it,” Arthur admitted. “Your Mum's wonderful.”

“She'll want you to write to her.”

“I think I can do that.”

“You need to because she'll just nag me until you do.”

Leaning back in his seat Arthur smiled.

*****************************************************************************

They arrived back at Camelot to meet crowds of returning students. It was still winter, and there was plenty of snow about, so none of them lingered too long outside. As was traditional after the Christmas break there was an assembly to welcome everyone back. It was held in the Great Hall, the only place at Camelot able to accommodate all of the students at any one time.

Arthur and Merlin sat next to each other among the other Valerian students. Elena and Gilli were sat further down the bench and offered a couple of friendly waves. Arthur also caught sight of Morgana sat with Sage College. At the back the knights and the other, non-magical, students had assembled. The entire hall was filled with row upon row of benches, full of students.

The Professors were all seated on a platform at the front of the room. Gaius was the only one standing up. When everyone was seated Gaius approached the podium. A hush came over the hall as Gaius looked out onto the assembled gathering.

“Welcome back to Camelot,” he said. “I hope you all had a pleasant Christmas. I also hope none of you neglected your studies.”

There was the odd cough from among the older students.

“Now, I have a few important notices to bring to your attention. Firstly, Professor Muirden is fully recovered and will be back to his usual teaching schedule this semester. I trust you will give him a warm welcome back.”

Professor Muirden briefly stood as polite applause rippled through the hall. The most enthusiastic response came from Thyme College. Arthur's own clapping was half-hearted at best; he dreaded the return of his headaches. Merlin must have noticed, as he placed a comforting hand on Arthur's.

Once the applause had died down, and Professor Muirden had taken his seat once more, Gaius continued.

“In light of the recent events surrounding Professor Muirden's unfortunate incident...”

It felt like everyone trained their eyes on Arthur at once, and he squeezed Merlin's hand.

“I have to inform you that the dungeons are off limits until further notice. Any student found in the vicinity will be severely punished.”

There was no doubting the seriousness of Gaius's words judging from his frown.

“There is also happier news,” Gaius said. “Our Beltane celebration has been extended this year and all students can choose up to two family members to attend if they so wish. I realise it's several months away yet, but this will give you time to sort out any plans with your families.”

Merlin was smiling. Arthur already suspected that Merlin was going to ask his parents to come. That would be nice. He'd like to see Hunith and Balinor again. If Merlin's father could be persuaded to leave his wyverns of course.

“I'd like to wish you all a happy and productive semester,” Gaius said.

There was a polite rippling of applause before the students were all dismissed to go and catch up with friends. Heading back to Valerian College, Arthur and Merlin were joined by Elena and Gilli, both of whom seemed eager to share stories about how their Christmases had gone.

“My father took us riding up to Avalon's mountains,” Elena said. “You wouldn’t believe how beautiful it was.”

“Sounds great,” Arthur said, not wanting to admit he hadn't known Avalon had mountains, although it made perfect sense.

“What about you, Gilli?” Merlin asked.

“It was a quiet Christmas. My uncle came to stay with us. Thank you for the gifts by the way.”

“Oh you’re welcome,” Merlin replied.

“It was so sweet of the two of you to send a present from you both,” Elena said, giving Arthur a friendly punch in the arm. “And I was running low on saddle polish. How did you know?”

Merlin winked. “Magic, of course.”

“It was very generous of you to send two of the knight figures I needed,” Gilli said. “My collection is only missing five now.”

“You're welcome,” Arthur said. “At least we know what to get you next year.”

*****************************************************************************

After lunch, Arthur and Merlin went back to their chambers for a study session. They had practised together on and off whilst at Merlin's home, and Arthur had found it easier to conjure and move fire around in the more relaxed atmosphere. He wanted to see if he could replicate it in the more formal setting of Camelot.

It was clear, though, that Merlin's mind was on other things. He should have been watching as Arthur tried to grow the flame he'd just conjured, but instead Merlin was looking out of the window. In retaliation Arthur carefully moved the flame along the log until it was close enough to Merlin's hand to force him to back away.

“Arthur! You could have burnt my hand,” Merlin said, pulling back cradling the hand that hadn't been burnt.

“You weren't paying attention,” Arthur said, taking Merlin's hand and lightly kissing it. “See, it's all better.”

Merlin closely examined his hand. “You know, just because you have magic doesn't mean your kisses have healing powers.”

“How do you know? I've been studying that book Gaius recommended on the healing arts of the body.”

“I don't think kissing was mentioned in it,” Merlin said, flexing his hand.

“No, but it would be more fun if it was,” Arthur said. He paused. “What had you so distracted anyway?”

“I was thinking about the dungeons,” Merlin replied, taking a seat by the desk.

Deciding he'd had enough of standing Arthur did the same. “What about the dungeons?”

“Don't you find it strange we're not allowed down there?”

“A professor almost died, Merlin. We were attacked by a cockatrice. It's not really strange.”

Leaning forward Merlin smiled. “But how did the cockatrice get in?”

That was something that Gaius hadn't mentioned. “Someone let it in?”

“They had to have done, but how? And why?”

There were lots of reasons why you’d let a dangerous magical creature into a university. It could cause chaos, death, and destruction, but it hadn't been released into anywhere students had gathered.

“As a distraction?” Arthur suggested. “A deadly distraction.”

“Exactly. The professors and the knights would all be distracted trying to stop it.”

“But it was in the dungeons.”

“The easiest way to let it in would be the tunnels that run under the castle.”

“The ones near the dungeons,” Arthur said. “So, someone let the cockatrice in and then it attacked Professor Muirden. Unless he let it in.”

“They're not easy to control. It might have turned on him before he could get it out into the main part of the castle.”

“Do you think there's still a way for another one to get in?”

Merlin shook his head. “Gaius and the other professors would have made sure of that. And what if what they wanted was in the dungeons? The cockatrice would stop anyone disturbing them while they looked for... whatever it was they were looking for. I don't think we're allowed down there because of security, to protect whatever is down there.”

“Merlin, why do you think what they were looking for is in the dungeons?”

“Because it's off limits now.”

“What would they keep in the dungeons?”

“I don't know. Maybe we should find out.”

Arthur recognised the determined look on Merlin's face. “All right, I'll admit it's a mystery and maybe we should investigate, but if all this goes wrong you're the one telling Gaius.”

Merlin got out of his chair and gave Arthur a hug. “We're a good team,” he whispered.

Pulling Merlin closer, Arthur whispered back. “Now we've sorted that out, do you want to know about more about my magical kisses?”

Merlin grinned. “You should meet my magic tongue.”

****************************************************************************

A couple of days after Merlin had mentioned investigating what was going on, Arthur had his first training session back with the knights. He hoped he hadn't forgotten how to hold a sword. It would be rather embarrassing to have to start from scratch just because he'd spent a couple of weeks resting his muscles.

“Hope you didn't indulge too much over Christmas, Arthur,” Gwaine said. “I know how tempting Hunith's cake is.”

“Merlin made sure I got plenty of exercise,” Arthur replied, just to see the look on Gwaine's face.

It had the desired effect as Gwaine looked a little embarrassed. “I'm sure he did. Now, let's see if your footwork's any better.”

Looking around, Arthur saw that only Elyan and Leon were also training. “Where are Lancelot and Percival?” he asked, feeling the familiar sensation of a sword in his hand.

“Doing something for Professor Gaius. He wants a patrol near the dungeons twenty four hours a day.”

“Did he say why?” Arthur asked.

“No,” Gwaine replied, moving forward. “We're just guarding the place.”

Arthur dodged Gwaine's first blow. “Why do dungeons need guarding?”

Their swords clashed. “Probably to do with the legend.”

They sparred, metal hitting metal for a few moments, before Arthur spun around and backed off. His mind wasn't really on their practice any more. “What legend?”

“About a sword in a stone,” Gwaine said, drawing Arthur in again.

Arthur pushed his sword hard against Gwaine's. He was thinking too much, he knew that. “What about it?”

Gwaine didn't answer but took advantage of Arthur's distraction to press home his advantage. There was barely time for Arthur to think before Gwaine came in close and neatly tripped him up.

“You should be concentrating on your footwork,” he said, offering Arthur a hand up.

Arthur took it gratefully. “Sorry, I've been listening to too many of Merlin's stories.”

Gwaine gave him a brief sympathetic look before smiling and getting back into position with his sword raised.

There was no more mention of legends after that. No more talk of the dungeons or a sword in a stone. Arthur managed to regain some of his advantage over Gwaine, and by the time the training session was finished, Arthur had redeemed himself. At least he hadn't forgotten what to do over the Christmas break. One thing hadn't changed: as soon as he felt a sword in his hand, Arthur instinctively knew what to do.

The first thing he did when he got back to their chambers was tell Merlin what Gwaine had said.

“Does it mean anything to you? A sword in a stone?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, but I can't remember,” Merlin said. “There's something....” He rubbed his temples. “I know there's a legend about it.... Maybe tomorrow we could look in the library. There's got to be something in one of the books.”

“All right, but you're distracting Geoffrey.”

“I distracted him last time.”

“Merlin, your magic is better than mine. I really don't want to have to set Geoffrey's beard on fire.”

Merlin laughed. “Could you imagine the look on his face though?”

Arthur could. The idea of Geoffrey running around the library with his beard on fire was one of the funniest things he'd ever imagined. He joined in Merlin's laughter.

*****************************************************************************

The next morning, he and Merlin went down to breakfast. Arthur went to reserve them their usual place with their friends, whilst Merlin went to get their food from the serving table at the back. Not all food was conjured at Camelot but, in Arthur's opinion, Hunith's cooking tasted better.

He sat down opposite Elena and Gilli who were already tucking in. “Morning,” he greeted.

“Morning, Arthur,” Elena said, her mouth full of toast.

Gilli just smiled, and Arthur noticed he was smiling mostly at Elena. He didn’t have time to think about that further before Merlin sat down and pushed Arthur's plate toward him.

“Extra bacon, just how you like it,” he said.

“Thank you, Merlin,” Arthur replied.

“That's so sweet,” Elena said. She said that about them practically every day but hadn't tired of it yet.

“Are you doing anything interesting today?” Gilli asked. He wasn't quite as shy as he used to be. After the Christmas break he'd come a little more assured.

“We're going to the library later,” Merlin said. He leaned forward conspiratorially. “We're investigating.”

“Ooh, what?” Elena asked.

“Why we're not allowed in the dungeons,” Arthur replied.

Merlin shushed him. “We're supposed to be keeping this quiet, Arthur.”

“Merlin, we know why we're not allowed in the dungeons. Gwaine said there's a sword in a stone down there.”

“Not _the_ sword?” Gilli asked, looking worried.

“What sword?” Arthur asked, spearing a piece of bacon.

Gilli frowned. “You don’t know the stories of the King of the Mage Knights?”

“Oh yes!” Elena said. “He was supposed to have a magic sword. They say it was the sword that saved his life and allowed him to escape his enemies.”

“It gives great power to whoever wields it,” Gilli said, solemnly.

“But, the sword was thrown into the lake when he died, wasn't it?” Merlin asked.

“Some legends say it was found in the lake by a young wizard who used it, but the power of the sword corrupted him, and he went mad. The Sorcerer's Council placed it in a stone, and only the king's true heir can pull it out,” Gilli whispered.

“What happens then?” Arthur asked, losing interest in eating.

“The king's heir is supposed to bring about a golden age,” Elena said. “And vanquish the evil that's lurked all over the land.”

“How?” Arthur asked, sceptically. “I've seen a lot of things done with magic, but a golden age?”

“The legends don't tell you details like that,” Merlin said.

“So, they tell you there's a sword in a stone, and someone will pull it out, but not what happens after? What's the point of that?” It was like only getting half the picture on the jigsaw box as far as Arthur was concerned.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “That's why it's a legend.”

“Do you think it really could be the sword in the stone in the dungeons?” Elena asked, sounding a bit too excited for Arthur's liking.

“What better place to store it than among some of the most powerful sorcerers in Avalon?” Merlin answered.

“Why risk stealing it then? If it's so well protected?” Arthur asked. “Professor Muirden nearly died.”

“The sword grants great power,” Gilli said. “It would be worth a risk.”

“Gilli's right. We need to find out who wants to steal it,” Merlin said.

“Professor Muirden? He was down there,” Arthur said.

“There's more to it than that,” Merlin replied. “Any wizard would want the sword, but there's one person who would want it more than anyone.”

Elena paled. “You mean...him?”

“The power of the sword could bring back the dead,” Merlin said, quietly.

The implication slowly soaked in. “You mean the person who killed my mother could be after the sword?” Arthur asked. “That he could use it to come back again?”

“If Professor Muirden's working him for him, yes,” Merlin lowered his voice. “Or he could be trying to bring him back.”

“We’re not going to let that happen,” Arthur said. “My mother died to stop him.”

“Then we'll stop him,” Merlin said, placing his hand on Arthur's and squeezing. “I promise.”

“Me too,” Gilli said, placing his hand on Merlin's.

“And me,” Elena added, as she placed her hand on Gilli's. “What do we do?”

“Keep a close eye on Professor Muirden,” Merlin said.

Their vow made, they turned back to their breakfasts, or they pretended to. None of them felt particularly hungry anymore, and their food went cold as it was forgotten among much more important things.

*****************************************************************************

Of course, they couldn't constantly watch Professor Muirden. They had lectures to attend, studying to do, and they had to eat. Still, they kept a close eye on him during their lectures. If they saw him about the castle complex when they had free time they surreptitiously followed him. Except they were students of Valerian College and once Professor Muirden was in Thyme College's part of the castle they could go no further.

Each college was heavily warded against interlopers. The wards had been placed by Professor Kilgharrah himself, and were among the most powerful in Albion.

There was really very little the four students could do.

There was a more serious problem too. Arthur's headaches during Professor Muirden's lectures weren’t getting any better, ifanything they were slightly worse after the Professor returned from his long absence. If Arthur hadn't had Merlin to help him through he would have had to leave each lecture before it ended.

Arthur examined his timetable for the next day and his heart sank. “Did you notice we’ve got a double lecture with Professor Muirden tomorrow?” he asked.

“No,” Merlin muttered, coming over and resting his chin on Arthur's shoulder as he peered at the timetable. “Must be because Professor Lake is taking the third year students on a field trip to Veore Mountain.”

“I'll never survive it,” Arthur said. “My head's going to explode and you'll have to mourn me.”

Merlin stood up suddenly. “Arthur, that's it!”

“What is? My impending death?”

“No! Your headaches.”

“What about them?”

Merlin began pacing excitedly. “You get them when you're around Professor Muirden!”

“And?”

Merlin sat down on the desk and grabbed Arthur's hands. “You remember what he told us about dark curses?”

“That killing curses can leave behind ill effects,” Arthur said. “If you've been in the vicinity of one you can suffer physical pain when you're near the sorcerer who performed it....” Now the pieces of the puzzle began to fit more neatly. There was only one killing curse Arthur had ever been in the presence of. “You don’t think Professor Muirden is Him?”

“No, but what if he's possessed Professor Muirden? You being close to him could be causing your headaches. That's why none of the remedies work. The headaches are warning you he's dangerous.”

“It makes sense,” Arthur said. “Can dead people posses the living?”

“Oh yes. It's dangerous Dark Magic but it's possible, and it would explain why the Professor couldn't remember anything.”

“Do you think he knows he's possessed?” Arthur asked. He would prefer to think the Professor was some sort of innocent dupe.

“He could be a willing host. That sort of magic is unpredictable.”

“If it is Him.... He might try and kill me,” Arthur said, quietly.

“I won't let that happen,” Merlin said. “I swear I won't.”

Just hearing the conviction in Merlin's words, Arthur was reassured. From the start, Merlin had been there for him. Without Merlin he'd never have managed to do magic. Without Merlin he'd never have defeated the cockatrice. An evil possessed professor had no chance against the two of them together.

*****************************************************************************

For weeks, they kept an eye on Professor Muirden, but nothing happened. Arthur’s headaches were still there, still warning him of some danger. January passed into February, and February into March. Still nothing happened. The dungeons remained undisturbed, and there was no sign of any monsters being let into Camelot.

Soon Arthur had other things to worry about. The spring Practical Examinations were due just before the spring break. He'd been granted special dispensation to have Merlin with him during his.; there was no way Arthur could have managed them on his own. He was getting better with his magic, but he still needed Merlin nearby to really show off his talents.

“Do you think he'll make his move soon?” Arthur asked Merlin, the night before the first of the examinations. He was in bed but he couldn't sleep.

“I think so,” Merlin yawned. “Everyone will be distracted by the exams.”

“Makes sense,” Arthur murmured.

He didn't sleep well, the test the next day and what they had learned about Professor Muirden weighing heavily on Arthur's mind. His dreams were filled with Professor Muirden standing over him, berating him for failing a test. Arthur felt pain and then everything turned to fire. Flames leapt all round, and Arthur couldn't see a way out. In the distance he could hear Merlin shouting.

“Arthur!”

Then he was being woken up. “Merlin?” He blinked in the morning light.

“It's morning, Arthur. Time for the first exam.”

Arthur moaned into his pillow. “Does sleep deprivation affect magic?”

“Not unless you miss a few days. You'll be fine.”

Arthur wasn't convinced, but he got up anyway.

*****************************************************************************

Arthur's first examination was a simple herb-mixing one supervised by Gaius. He had to select four herbs from a large choice, and make a remedy. He didn't need to use much magic, just a little to make the remedy more effective. Merlin had shown him how to do it several times but Arthur still felt nervous. Most herbs looked all the same to him, just variations of green leaves and twigs.

Merlin was sat at the back of the room, out of Arthur's direct sight. He wouldn't be able to see what was going on as Arthur had his back to him. It was to prevent Merlin giving him any help. Merlin's role was simply to be there so Arthur could focus his magic.

Selecting the herbs took quite awhile. Arthur wanted to be sure he got them right. He knew if he got one wrong he'd fail before he even tried magic. He wavered over a couple, unsure which was the correct one.

“Take your time,” Gaius said.

Arthur nodded and turned his attention to the herbs before him. Finally he selected his four and placed them into the mortar before carefully grinding them up with the pestle. He took his time applying pressure to them to make sure the resulting mixture was nice and thick. Soon he had formed a green paste.

Now came the hard bit: using magic. Taking a calming breath, Arthur held his hand out over the mortar. In his mind, he pictured bandages, potions, images of healing. Closing his eyes he felt ready to try it, feeling the tingling of his magic at the ends of his fingertips.

“Gemengan,” he said, quietly.

He opened his eyes to see the paste bubbling a little.

“Well done, Arthur,” Gaius said, smiling. “You've passed.”

Arthur turned around to see Merlin grinning at him. He'd done it; he'd passed his first examination, although it was one of the easier ones. Still, a pass was a small victory, and Arthur felt much happier. As he walked by Merlin he heard him whisper.

“I knew you could do it.”

“Good luck,” Arthur whispered back.

He hung around outside the door to Gaius's rooms waiting for Merlin. Merlin's test would be a lot more gruelling, and Arthur wasn't allowed to watch. Whatever it was, it sounded serious, and Arthur resisted the urge to listen at the door. He could still hear what sounded like explosions coming from inside the room.

It seemed an age before Merlin emerged with a triumphant grin.

“You passed then?” Arthur asked.

“Of course I passed,” Merlin replied. “I couldn't fail my own uncle’s exam, could I?”

Arthur laughed and gave Merlin a hug. “If you'd failed, Gaius would have disowned you.”

“Or worse, made me label his potion bottles for a whole year.”

The next exam was with Professor Mandrake. This was a very simple exam. All Arthur had to do was identify three magical beasts from some odd pictures, write out the names of several others and their favoured habitat in runes, and then select the right foodstuff to give to a griffin, a unicorn and a fairy. As a first year he didn't even have to face a magical creature and, as there was technically no magic involved, Merlin waited outside the door.

“Well?” he asked, when Arthur emerged. “Did you remember unicorns don’t eat people?”

“Yes, Merlin,” Arthur said. “I passed.”

That was the last of the examinations for the day and in the afternoon they sat out in the courtyard comparing notes on their various examinations with Elena and Gilli.

“It was much easier than I thought it would be,” Elena said, referring to Gaius's test. “Even though wasn't sure if we should be using lavender or not.”

“I had the same trouble,” Gilli said.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. “Me too,” he said. “At least Gaius doesn't rush you.”

“What was your exam like, Merlin?” Elena asked.

Merlin shrugged. “Nothing special. Just potion brewing,” he said.

Just potion brewing probably meant Merlin had to use a far more complex recipe, and heat up the individual ingredients with magic. He'd not told Arthur the exact details but Arthur had worked it out from the pages of the book he seen Merlin studying.

“And of course he passed with flying colours,” Arthur said.

“Why don't they let you move up a year or two?” Gilli asked.

There was a small smile from Merlin. “It's not my destiny,” he said, looking at Arthur. “I like it this way, and Arthur would be lost without me.”

“And Merlin would be lost in a mess in our chambers without me,” Arthur pointed out.

“I'm glad you're in our year, Merlin,” Gilli said.

“Me too,” Elena added. “And you, Arthur, of course.”

“It's gone by so fast,” Arthur said. “Doesn't seem five minutes since I blew up my father's glass. Now I'm doing magic.”

“And most importantly you met me,” Merlin said.

“Yes, Merlin, and I got a boyfriend.”

Elena had that 'awww' look about her again.

“What are your plans for the spring holidays?” Merlin asked.

“I'm going camping with my father. We're going to the forest of Balor,” Elena said.

“Aren't there cockatrices there?” Arthur asked. He vaguely remembered that being mentioned by Professor Mandrake, shortly after the incident with Professor Muirden.

“Yes, but we'll be using protection charms.”

“What about you, Gilli?” Merlin asked.

“There's a chess tournament in WillowWood. I thought I might try my luck. Camelot's chess team hasn't managed any tournaments this year since Professor Sidhe got crushed by a rook and a bishop before Christmas.”

“That can happen to fairies,” Merlin said, solemnly.

“What about you?” Elena asked. “Is Arthur whisking you away on a romantic break?”

“No, he's not,” Arthur said. “We're staying here in case something happens.”

There wasn't any need to say what the something was.

“How will you know?” Elena asked.

“If only we had some sort of warning,” Merlin said, quietly.

“Morgana!” Arthur said. “She's a seer!”

He hadn't spoken to Morgana much the last couple of months, just the odd meeting here and there to discuss their father. At Camelot, she had her own life, her own friends, and her own hobbies. None of which coincided with Arthur's. It was strange, but it had been exactly the same in the non-magical world. She was his sister and he loved her, but even with magic in common they didn't spend much time together.

“Why didn't we think of her before?” Merlin asked. “We should talk to her, see if she's seen anything.”

Arthur got up from the stone bench he was sitting on. Merlin stood up as well.

“We'll stay here,” Elena said, making no move to get up. “We don't want to scare your sister by mobbing her.”

That was a good idea. Morgana seemed to like Arthur's friends, but there was no sense all of them descending on her asking for information. Arthur wasn't even sure where Morgana was. He and Merlin set off down toward the Great Hall, more out of hope than anything else. It was sheer luck that they saw a familiar figure ahead of them.

“Morgana!” Arthur said, calling down the corridor. He hurried up to reach her.

Morgana turned; she looked a little stressed, as if something was wrong. “Arthur,” she said, sounding relieved.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She gave a thin smile. “I'm fine.”

“No, you're not,” Arthur said, reaching out to give her a hug. Morgana flinched.

“What's wrong?” Merlin asked, having caught up. “Have you Seen something?”

Morgana nodded. “After Christmas, when I came back to Camelot, I had a nightmare. I saw Arthur, and you, and a sword. There was blood, a lot of blood, and flames. That's all I remember. Morgause gave me this to help.”

She held up her wrist and Arthur saw she was wearing a thick bracelet, like an amulet of silver with gold detail.

“A blocking amulet,” Merlin said, taking a closer look. “It stops visions whilst you sleep,” he explained to Arthur.

“Go on,” Arthur encouraged.

Morgana held the bracelet and turned it slightly on her wrist. “It was working,” she said. “I didn't have another nightmare. Until yesterday.”

“What was it about?” Arthur asked.

“I don't know. It was just images. I saw someone in a cloak, there was a sword in a stone and then you were lying on the floor.”

“Do you think it was a vision?” Arthur asked. “Do you think you saw the future?”

Hesitantly, Morgana nodded. “Morgause said I shouldn’t worry about it, but I can't help it. I can't stand to see anything happen to you if I can prevent it,” Morgana said, sounding like the protective elder sister despite her fear.

“Listen, Morgana,” Arthur said, gently hugging her. “There's something going on. We think the sword in the stone is in the dungeons, and we think someone is going to try and steal it.”

Pulling back Arthur saw Morgana looked shocked. “Who?”

“Him,” Merlin said.

“But he's...”

“Not dead enough,” Arthur said, quietly. “We might need your help, Morgana. Can we count on you?”

“Of course.” She gave Arthur a hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Hearing about Morgana's visions was unsettling, but at least they were forewarned. Something was going to happen, and judging by the fact nothing had been able to block the vision, it seemed whatever it was was going to happen soon. Arthur hoped the warning would be enough.

*****************************************************************************

Four more days passed and more examinations were taken. Arthur passed all of them with relative ease. Merlin passed his with what Arthur suspected was a little more ease. Despite this there was no sign of Morgana's vision coming to pass, and there was also no sign of Professor Muirden attempting anything. Arthur wasn't sure if he should be relieved or not.

Arthur was just grateful that first year students were not set examinations in dark magic. It was a dangerous discipline and even the theory took two years to master. As a result he didn't have to face Professor Muirden with the added pressure of an exam.

Finally, on the sixth day of examinations came Arthur’s ultimate test - his Elemental Magic examination. Everything else had been building up to it. It was hardest and most complex magic Arthur could perform. It made selecting herbs and identifying magical creatures seem simple.

Merlin accompanied Arthur into Professor Nimueh's rooms. Merlin was again allowed to be in the same room, but he wasn't allowed to touch Arthur, although he could watch. He took a seat at the back.

“Good luck,” Merlin whispered, giving Arthur's hand a quick squeeze.

Leaving Merlin to watch, Arthur walked to the front of the room where Nimueh was waiting for him. She gave him a smile, which made her seem a lot less intimidating than she usually did. He could see the bench behind her had various items on it, presumably they were all part of the test.

“All right, Arthur, I'm going to ask you to perform a serious of tasks using magic relating to the element of fire. Failing any of them means you fail the examination. Do you understand?”

Arthur nodded. “I do.”

Nimueh moved back and allowed Arthur to approach the bench. “Then let's begin. On the bench in front of you is a piece of wood. I'd like you create a flame on it. The flame must not be extinguished until the tests are complete. You may begin.”

Over the last few months Arthur had got much better at conjuring fire. He still couldn’t think about the process directly but as he held out his hand he could feel the tingle of magic at his fingertips. Closing his eyes he thought about a warm summer's day as he whispered the spell.

“Forbærnen.”

Before he had even opened his eyes, he knew there was a flame dancing in front of him. He'd felt his magic swirl out of him and act upon the wood.

“Good,” Nimueh said. “Now grow the flame.”

Closing his eyes again Arthur pictured a winter's evening by a fireplace. “Forþgelæde.”

As he opened them, he saw the flame had more than doubled in size. He hoped he hadn't overdone it.

Nimueh didn't comment. “Move the flame onto the pile of earth on the other side of the bench,” she said.

Moving the flame wasn't difficult, it was keeping it alight on the earth that would be the tricky part. On the earth Arthur would have to fuel the flame mainly using magic. It required concentration, and Arthur tried to focus. He pictured warm winds and flexed his fingers, letting his magic flow out of him to pick up, and carry, the flame to the earth.

“Ic drífe. ”

He felt it touch the earth and pictured lava in his mind. He felt the flame anchor itself to the magic he was feeding through the earth.

“Now raise it up,” Nimueh said.

Arthur imagined a plant pushing up through the ground as he used the magic like a stem, with the flame as a flower. It was hard work and the tips of his fingers began to burn. He could feel sweat on his forehead. He didn't look, fearing it would break his concentration.

“Blow the flame out,” Nimueh said.

As Arthur imagined the flower opening he felt a sudden heat and then there was a bang, as if a firework had gone off. He opened one eye carefully to see a shower of sparks falling onto the bench.

Nimueh smiled. “Well done, Arthur, you've passed.”

Turning around Arthur could see Merlin at the back of the room, beaming. “I knew you could do it!” Merlin practically yelled.

“I do owe some of this to my tutor.”

There was another sly smile from Nimueh. “I knew pairing the two you up was a good idea. I'm sure Merlin will be very helpful when we tackle the element of water next year.”

“I'm sure he will.”

“Your mother would be proud of you,” Nimueh said, wistfully.

As they left Nimueh's room, Arthur whispered, “So, how are you going to help with me with water?”

“I was thinking we could go swimming,” Merlin said. “And forget to bring our swimming trunks.”

Arthur really hoped Nimueh's hearing wasn't magical. He was blushing as they headed back to their chambers.

*****************************************************************************

With the examinations over a lot of students were packing to head home for a couple of weeks before the Beltane celebration. Merlin had invited his parents to the celebration, but he had agreed with Arthur that they should stay at Camelot. Arthur had decided it was a perfect opportunity for some spring cleaning. Their chambers had started to get a little messy the last couple of months.

“Your parents won’t mind?” Arthur asked, as he went through the wardrobe, wondering how it was his and Merlin's clothes were all mixed up.

“I think my mother thinks we're staying here because we can have sex without worrying about disturbing anyone.”

Arthur nearly dropped the shirt he was carrying to his bed. “Please tell me she didn't put that in her letter.”

“Not those exact words,” Merlin said, piling his books up on the floor.

“Good because your mother...” Arthur didn't want to finish that thought. He put his shirt down, and rummaged in his rucksack for his spare pair of underpants. What he found was the glass ball that Morgana had given him the night he'd been whisked away from home.

“Oh, a memory ball,” Merlin said, coming over to take a look. “I've not seen one of those for years.”

“A gift from Morgana,” Arthur said, turning it over in his hands. “Although I have no idea what it does.”

“It shows you memories,” Merlin said.

“I worked that out from the name.”

“Yeah, but memories from the past, present, and future. Seers use them to find out when their dreams come from.”

“How can you have vision from the past?” Arthur asked. “What would be the point?”

“Things that happened in the past can affect the present. Like where someone hid something, or someone killing another person.”

“Why would Morgana give me this?” Arthur asked, tossing it up and catching it.

“Because your past is important,” Merlin said. “You've not used it?”

“I didn't know what it was, Merlin. How do I use it?”

“Hold in your palm,” Merlin said, holding his palm out and demonstrating with an empty hand. “Then let a little magic flow into it.”

That seemed simple enough. Arthur held the ball as Merlin had demonstrated. The ball began to feel warm in his hand as his hand tingled with the familiar feeling of magic. Nothing else seemed to be happening but, after a moment, an odd grey mist began to form inside the ball. As Arthur watched, it began to swirl and darken.

Unable to take his eyes away, he watched he saw images start to appear in the mist. He saw a sword a the stone, then a cloaked figure approaching it. The figure was about to turn around when suddenly the mists became even darker and the images vanished. The mists swirled before become greyer, and lighter, and then receding like clouds after a storm.

“Arthur?”

“You said this can show the present?

“It can, yes. What did you see, Arthur?”

“I think Professor Muirden's gone to get the sword,” Arthur said. “We need to tell someone. Where's Gaius?”

“It's the spring holidays, he's gone herb collecting, remember? And Nimueh's gone to the Isle of the Blessed with some post grads.”

No wonder Professor Muirden had waited until now. “Then it's up to us.”

“Not just us,” Merlin said. “We need help.”

Arthur agreed. There could be another cockatrice waiting for them. “Let's get everyone together.”

They stumbled out of their chambers into the path of Elena and Gilli, complete with their trunks. They were heading off for Spring break.

“Don't go!” Merlin said, stepping in front of them. “We need your help.”

“What's wrong?” Elena asked.

“It's happening,” Arthur said. “Now. I've seen it.” He held up the memory ball.

“What do you want us to do?” Elena asked.

“We need help,” Merlin said. “The more of us there are, the better chance we've got.”

“We'll help you,” Gilli said.

“Can you find the knights?” Arthur asked.

“Gilli nodded. “Of course.”

“Tell them to meet us at the entrance to the dungeons and tell them to come armed.”

“We'll be as fast as we can,” Elena said, taking Gilli's hand and pulling him along the hallway.

“Should we find Morgana?” Merlin asked.

“It can't hurt to have someone with us who can see the future,” Arthur said. He stuffed the ball in his pocket. It was a tight fit, but he thought perhaps it would be useful.

They didn't have to look far for Morgana. As soon as they stepped out of the College and into the main part of the castle they saw Morgana heading toward them, Gwen was at her side. Morgana looked worried.

“Did you see it?” she asked.

“If you mean a cloaked figure near the sword in the stone, yes,” Arthur replied. “We were just coming to find you.”

“It's now, Arthur,” Morgana said. “We need to be careful.”

“We will be,” Merlin said.

“Yes, are you sure you want to come?”

“You’ll have more of a chance if we come with you,” Gwen said.

“Come on then,” Arthur said.

Together they headed to the dungeons. When they got there they found the knights, Elena, and Gilli, all waiting for them. There was an air of expectancy among them.

“We told them about what we know,” Elena said.

“You think someone is trying to steal the sword in the stone?” Lancelot asked.

“Yes, and right now. We've seen it.” Arthur glanced at Morgana who nodded.

“Good enough for me,” Gwaine said. “You'll need this.”

He handed Arthur his sword. Arthur took it gratefully. Just the feel of it in his hands made him feel better.

“All right, everyone, we're about to break University rules, we're about to possibly face danger. If anyone wants to stay behind I won't think any less of them.”

No-one moved. “We're coming with you,” Merlin said. “You need us.”

“I do,” Arthur said. “Right, are we all ready?”

“Ready,” everyone chorused. Except one person.

“Merlin?”

“I'm not really ready,” he said. “But you are, so let's go.”

Arthur put an arm around Merlin and kissed his cheek. “We'll be fine,” he said.

Merlin nodded.

“Okay, Percival,” Arthur said. “Open the gate.”

The large iron gate that had been installed to stop students going down to the dungeons looked heavy, and even Percival struggled to open it. The thing seemed almost magically sealed shut. In fact, thinking about it, it probably was. There was no lock on it after all.

“Merlin?” Arthur asked.

Obviously thinking the same thing Merlin stepped forward, raising his hand up. “Onlúcan,” he said, firmly.

There was a ripple of gold magic across the whole gate, and then Merlin lowered his hand and stepped back. “Try it now,” he said.

Percival stepped forward and this time the gates gave way with little effort. So much so, it seemed as if Percival was going to fall forward before Leon and Elyan caught him. The gates swung open in front of them.

“Right, let's go,” Arthur said. He was feeling nervous, but he was also determined. He was not going to let the sword fall into the hands of the man who had murdered his mother. Besides, he had the best back up he could wish for.

Merlin was at his side as they ventured through the gate. It was dark and Merlin lit the torches that lined the wall, so they could to see where they were going. As they went down the staircase Arthur gripped his sword tightly. He studied the shadows on the walls, waiting for something to leap out at them.

Nothing did, and they reached the bottom without any mishap. Oddly the dungeons seemed to have changed since Arthur and Merlin had last ventured down. In front of them was a large wooden door. It looked old, as if it had been there for years, but Arthur knew it hadn’t been there several months ago. It was very strange.

“Let's be careful,” Arthur said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

The knights all had their swords drawn and ready.

“Can you open the door from here?” Arthur asked Merlin.

“Yes,” Merlin said. With a flick of his wrist and a muttered spell the door swung open.

Peering into the gloom, Arthur could see very little. There was no torchlight, no nothing; they would be going into the pitch black. Before he could ask someone to grab a torch, he saw Morgana, Gwen, Elena and Gilli, head back up the stairs, and then return with four torches.

Gilli came and stood in front of them, holding the torch slightly inside the room. It didn't show them much. The other torch-bearers came forward and illuminated the room as best they could from the doorway. It was dangerous for them to go in first, unarmed, but it was also dangerous for the knights to go in without being able to see.

“Let me,” Merlin said. He quickly conjured a ball of light and let it drift into the room. It didn't light the whole room up, but provided enough light for the knights and Arthur to step in without worrying it was an ambush.

Once they were inside, their friends followed with the torches. When the torches were inside, Merlin let his ball of light die down. Everyone moved about, examining the place, but the room appeared to be just a room. The torchlight danced off stone walls and stone flags of the floor. It seemed unremarkable.

“How do we get out of here?” Arthur asked.

“There's a door over there,” Elena said, pointing.

The door was identical to the one they had entered the room through.

“It's too easy,” Merlin said.

“You can say that again,” Gwaine added.

Arthur felt the same. There was a feeling of something in the air, some form of foreboding. But what it was, he didn't know. “Let’s take this slowly,” he said.

He saw Lancelot nodding.

Stepping forward with his sword Arthur was about to reach the door when suddenly he sensed something nearby. He couldn’t make out what it was, but he instinctively moved his sword to block it. As he did so he heard someone scream. His sword sliced through something, and the room began to rumble.

Within seconds large vines erupted from the floor and began to surround them menacingly. Arthur swiped at a few with his sword, carefully dodging them as they got close. He saw the knights trying to do the same. Cutting off one vine didn't help, however, as more seemed to grow in its place.

He could see Merlin, Elena, Gilli, and Morgana trying to throw fireballs at the vines, but they seemed to be having about as much success as Arthur and the knights, which was little. Gwen had a dagger and was cutting the vines that came near her, but she too was struggling.

“What are we going to do?” Morgana asked. “There's too many.”

Arthur noticed the vines were concentrating on where they were standing. They were surrounding Arthur and the others, but there was a gap not far from the door.

“If enough of us distract them we can make it to the door,” Arthur said.

Merlin looked over and nodded. “Arthur's right.”

“We'll keep fighting, the rest of you go on,” Gwaine said, slicing a particularly vicious vine that attempted to wrap itself around his leg.

“You don't want me to stay?” Arthur asked, slicing two vines that were attempting to grab his arm.

“Arthur, this is not your destiny,” Lancelot said, moving to stand next to Gwaine.

Gwaine agreed. “He's right, Arthur, whatever is ahead you’re the one who has to face it.”

“Good luck!” Leon said.

The knights began to swipe harder at the vines, encouraging them to attack them. This thinned the vines around the others. They all manoeuvred themselves for a clear run to the door.

“On three,” Arthur said. “One, two, three!”

As he yelled he leapt over where the vines were thinnest, Merlin alongside him. They were followed by Morgana and Gwen, waving torches at the vines, and then finally Gilli and Elena. Arthur heard a yelp, and Elena's ankle seemed to catch in the vines.

He was about to go back and help when he saw Gilli stamp on the vine, causing it to release Elena. He gave her a hand and pulled her toward the door. By the time they got there Merlin had it open, and all of them tumbled through.

They had to close to the door as the vines had begun to follow them. Arthur could see the knights still fighting in a circle, surrounded by the vines. Gwaine briefly turned to them and Arthur was sure he saw him wink before the door was closed.

Now they took stock of their new surroundings. They seemed to be in an identical room with another identical door facing them.

“Come on,” Arthur said.

They gingerly walked across the room, looking down at the floor. Arthur was half expecting something to leap out in front of them. Nothing actually happened though, and they successfully reached the door. Arthur felt a surge of relief. He still kept his sword ready, however, as he took hold of the handle and tried to turn it. It wouldn't budge.

“It's locked,” he said, trying it again. He turned to Merlin. “Can you open it?”

Merlin raised his hand and said the spell. Nothing happened, so he tried again, saying it louder. By the fourth attempt he had closed his eyes and was yelling. “I can't do it,” he said, with a sigh.

It was no good any of the rest of them trying. Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer among them. If his magic couldn't do it none of the rest of them would be able to manage it.

“There's a keyhole,” Arthur said. “So there has to be a key. Everyone look round.”

They split up and to cover the room looking in every corner, near the walls, on the floor. There was nothing else in the room. There were no stones a key could be under, or any containers it could be in. The walls didn’t appear to have any cubby holes, or hiding places.

They were about to give up, when they heard something that sounded like thunder. The room seemed to have expanded around them in all directions. A dark shape was moving toward them, accompanied by a large sound. Gradually the shape became clearer.

Arthur squinted. “Are those horses?”

The horses slowed from a gallop before trotting past them. The horses weaved between them, coming close enough to touch.

“Look, they've got keys on them,” Gwen said.

Sure enough each horse wore a bridle, and dangling from each bridle was a key. One horse walked up and stopped in front of them. It had no key, but it did have a saddle along with its bridle; it looked ready to be ridden.

“Don't tell me, someone has to ride after the horses to get the key?” Arthur groaned.

“These are all tests, spells to protect the sword,” Merlin said.

“How do we know which is the right key?” Arthur asked.

“The lock looks old,” Merlin said, peering at it. “The key will probably look old as well.”

“There,” Morgana said. “The small brown horse.”

It took a moment for Arthur to pick out which one was the brown horse but, as he did so he saw that a large, old, rusty-looking key was dangling from the horses bridle, in sharp contrast to the bright golden keys that were on the bridles of the other horses.

“How do we get it?”

“That's easy,” Elena said, approaching the horse that had stopped before them. “We ride for it.”

She put her torch down, and mounted the horse with practised ease.

“Are you sure you can do it?” Arthur asked, watching as Elena adjusted the stirrups.

“Who's the best rider here?” she asked.

“You are,” Gilli said.

“Exactly. I'll ride close to the horse and get the key.”

“Then what?” Arthur asked.

“I'll throw it to you.” Elena said, eyeing the crowd of horses still trotting around the room.

“All right, but be careful.”

“Yes,” Gilli added. “We don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Elena offered Gilli a smile before kicking her horse into a trot. As soon as her horse began moving the other horses started to pick up the pace, and began weaving between each other as they galloped around the room. Arthur found it hard to pick out the horse carrying the correct key.

It seemed Elena was having a little bit of difficulty herself as she increased her pace and caught up with the herd. The room seemed to get larger and then smaller as the pace of the horses sped up, and then decreased. Elena was doing well, but she was looking around for the horse with the right key.

“There!” Merlin said, as the horse in question came past him.

Now she had a fix on her target Elena wheeled around and headed toward it. Her face was set with determination as she raced past Arthur, and caught up with the horse carrying the key. As if it sensed it was nearly caught the horse swerved to one side but Elena kept up.

Leaning across, she plucked the key from the bridle of the horse and held it aloft.

“Got it!” she yelled.

The horses began to close in on Elena, as if they were trying to force her to give up the key. It was clear, however, that Elena was not going to be beaten. She managed a small burst of speed, and pulled away enough for her to make a clear throw to Merlin who was waiting by the door.

“Catch!” she said, throwing the key.

Merlin managed to catch it without fumbling. He put the key into the lock and turned it. The horses then turned and headed toward him, and Arthur ran to Merlin's aid. He was not going to watch Merlin be flattened by horses.

Merlin didn’t seem worried, however, and as the lock clicked open, the horses suddenly disappeared, all except the one Elena was mounted on. It was with relief that Arthur reached the door to find Merlin still in one piece. He patted him on the back as the others came to stand near the door, ready to move on.

Elena pulled her horse up and halted it. She made a movement to get down, and then stopped.

“What's wrong?” Gilli asked.

“I can't get down; I'm stuck,” she replied, trying to pull herself up and off the saddle.

Merlin went over and touched the saddle. The stirrups and saddle are spelled with a sticking enchantment. I could break the spell but it would take time,” he said.

“Time we don't have,” Elena said. “You carry on without me.”

It was Gilli who came to stand near her. “Are you sure? I could stay with you,” he offered.  
Elena smiled, but shook her head. “That's very sweet but they might need you further on. I'll be fine,” she said.

Arthur noticed she leaned down as best she could and squeezed Gilli's hand. “We'll come back for you,” Gilli said.

“Right, let's go then” Arthur said. Merlin nodded, and came to stand at his side. He was ready. Looking at the others, Arthur received other affirmative nods.

“Open the door,” he said to Merlin.

Merlin opened the door and they stepped through. As they left poor Elena Arthur turned to her. “Thank you,” he said.

“Just do what you need to,” Elena said.

Th next room was, once again, identical to the previous two. The group was still cautious as they made their way across it, though. From vines to horses, there was no pattern to indicate what might appear. There was also, predictably, another door. It was also locked but there was something different about it. There was no keyhole and it wouldn't open by pushing it.

“Do you think this another test?” Merlin asked.

“I think, Merlin, given that the door ahead doesn't have a keyhole, that yes, this a test,” Arthur said.

“We could try and get it open with magic,” Merlin suggested. “Onlúcan.”

The door still remained fast.

“That's not working,” Arthur said. It would save a lot of time and effort if Merlin could have opened it with magic, but that seemed impossible.

Morgana pointed to the door. “Look, there's an indentation near the top.”

“What is that?” Arthur asked. The shape looked a little odd.

“A horseshoe,” Gwen said. “People hang them that way up on their doors as a sign of luck.”

“We're not having any luck.” Arthur was getting frustrated. How many more rooms would they have to go through? How many more before they reached the sword in the stone?

“We need a horseshoe,” Merlin said.

“And where are we going to get a horseshoe from? I don’t think that horse Elena’s stuck on is going to help.”

There was another rumble, almost as if something or someone had heard Arthur. Steeling themselves for anything from giant killer plants to a herd of elephants, they looked around.

“In the corner,” Gilli said.

Something seemed to be forming in the far right corner, almost as if it was coming up from the ground. Morphing like clay, the odd shape slowly took on a more solid, squared off form. It began to look familiar.

“Is that?” Arthur asked.

“It's a forge,” Gwen said. She began to walk over to it. The others followed.

As they got closer they could see an anvil, hammer, tongs, all the tools of the blacksmith's trade. The fire was going and the coals were hot. Gwen had put her torch down and was already examining some metal glowing red-hot in the coals.

“I can make a horseshoe,” she said. “One that will fit on that door.”

Arthur didn't ask how long it would take; he thought it would be rude. Morgana had already glared at him as if she expected him to make some sort of remark. Arthur didn't have a chance, even if he'd wanted to, for Gwen was already hard at work. She was lifting the hot metal out of the fire, picking up the hammer and beginning to change its shape as she placed it on the anvil.

Arthur and the others watched as Gwen worked tirelessly. She took the metal to the fire, heated it up and brought it back out, hammering it into shape before she needed to reheat. The heat of the coals made Arthur feel warm from where he was standing, but it didn't seem to bother Gwen.

Eventually she stood up in triumph and showed them the horseshoe, still glowing red hot. She plunged it into a bucket of water in a hiss of steam, before bringing it out. The metal now looked cool. It was a dull grey, as opposed to the red of earlier. Gwen placed it on the anvil with the tongs before picking it up with her hand. It was safe enough to touch.

“It's ready,” she said.

They walked back to the door, Gwen carrying the horseshoe. Arthur had no idea how she could have made it to fit the shape in the door exactly, but then she was a talented magical blacksmith. They all stood back as Gwen approached the door with the horseshoe, carefully raising it to put into place.

For a terrible moment, Arthur thought it was too big, but thankfully it seemed it was just his perspective. As Gwen touched it to the door, it began to glow almost immediately; Arthur closed his eyes as it emitted a bright light.

Arthur opened his eyes slowly to see that the horseshoe was stuck to the door and that the door itself was unlocked and open slightly. It seemed the test had been passed and they could continue. He turned to Gwen to give her his thanks, when he noticed she looked uncomfortable.

“Gwen, are you all right?” Morgana asked, concerned.

Gwen gave her a smile. “Yes, I'm fine. I'm just stuck to the floor.”

“Not again. What sort of tests are these?” Arthur asked. It was getting more than a little frustrating to have each of his friends help him, and then get stuck for their trouble.

“Ones that know us,” Morgana whispered.

“Go, on. I'll be fine,” Gwen said, pushing Morgana a little to encourage her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Morgana. The door's open, go on.”

“Thank you, Gwen,” Morgana said, giving her friend a quick hug.

“Yes, thank you,” Arthur added.

Gwen gave them a smile as they left her and went into the next room. At first it seemed to be identical to the others. They were down to two torches now and the rooms weren't getting any lighter. At least that was what they thought until the odd rumbling sound began again.

Once more, dark shapes began to form, but this time they were everywhere – in front, behind, and to the sides of them. It seemed as if a forest was springing up around them.

“Now what?” Arthur asked. “Are we going to be attacked again?”

The shapes were menacing. Even with limited light, they couldn’t make out quite what they were. Some of them looked like people, almost giants. Others looked like they might be buildings. Arthur wished they could have a better look. Perhaps he should have been careful what he wished for.

Torches lining the walls burst with flames and lit up the room. What had been a dark room blazed with light, and it quickly became obvious where they were standing.

“We're on a chessboard,” Merlin said, looking down at the large black and white tiles that made up the floor.

“So what do we do? I can't see another door.” Arthur said. The opposite wall was just a blank wall.

“We probably have to play the chess game first,” Merlin said.

Given their tests so far Arthur suspected Merlin was right. “I don't play chess.”

Gilli stepped forward. “I do. Let me try something.”

“Go ahead,” Arthur said. Apparently Gilli was good at chess, although Arthur had never seen him play. He regretted that.

“A two pawn to A five,” Gilli said.

To Arthur's astonishment the pawn, which resembled a small solider, got up, walked forward two spaces, and then sat down. “That pawn just moved,” he whispered.

“Of course he did,” Merlin replied.”Keep watching.”

One of the other pawns, from the black side, moved forward. Arthur had no idea which square was which. He did have a basic understanding of chess however, and he knew that if Gilli didn't move their pawn it would be taken in the next move.

“H two pawn to H four,” Gilli said.

A pawn at the other end of the board got up, walked forward, and then sat down. Arthur didn't know why Gilli had done that. It seemed to have left his other pawn completely vulnerable. He watched as the opposing pawn that had moved ready to take the first pawn now moved again.

It walked up to Gilli's pawn and stabbed it with a long spear. The pawn seemed to cry out and then shattered, sending debris flying across the board.

“What was that?”

“That's the magical version of chess, Arthur,” Merlin said,

Gilli was paced the board, looking as if he was working out his next move.

“The pieces literally destroy each other,” Arthur said, shocked. He doubted his own sword would be much use against them. They seemed to be made of rock.

“They do. Well, until checkmate.”

“That’s not reassuring Merlin. We’re surrounded by chess pieces that could kill us.” Most were carrying some sort of weapon. Even the bishops had daggers. The rooks were unarmed, but they were castles, and Arthur remembered one had crushed Professor Sidhe.

“Not if we win. Gilli can beat them.”

Gilli looked deep in thought. If he'd made the chess team, he had to be good. Arthur watched as Gilli considered his position, and then ordered one of the rooks to move.

It was hard to follow the game exactly. Arthur could tell Gilli was thinking several moves ahead, trying to anticipate his opponent, What was unnerving was that an opponent didn't seem to exist; there was no way of knowing who or what their opponent was. Merlin said he thought it was a complicated spell, designed to react to the other player.

“Like a computer?” Arthur asked.

Merlin frowned. “What's a computer?”

“Never mind,” Arthur said, and went back to watching.

Gilli's rook did some damage, before it was taken by a bishop and shattered into several hundred pieces. Gilli tried to eliminate the bishops with his knights. He managed to take one, before his knight was taken by a rook. One of his pawns was taken by the opposing queen.

It went on. Pieces fell, their remains scattered across the board, the other pieces stepping over their fallen comrades. Arthur watched Gilli lose a few more pawns and a bishop. The other side lost their rooks. The queens came into play, dancing around each other. As long as they were both in play it seemed the game wouldn't end.

Finally, Gilli's strategy paid off. He sacrificed a rook and trapped the other queen, taking her with a lowly pawn. The pawn was immediately taken in the next move, but it had done it work. Now Gilli set up the final moves. Arthur had to admit he was very impressed.

With a rook, a bishop, and his queen, Gilli made a final move with a pawn and the other side was in checkmate.

“That's the game over,” Gilli said.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief, but then the remaining enemy pieces all shattered at once and the board became a dangerous place to be with debris flying everywhere. Arthur ducked and hoped nothing would hit him.

As the dust cleared, Arthur checked around. Merlin stood up next to him brushing off his clothes. He was a little dirty, but otherwise okay. Morgana looked a little shocked, but she too was unhurt. Not so Gilli, who was lying in the middle of the board with a trickle of blood spilling down his forehead.

“Gilli!”

They ran forward. At first Arthur was worried Gilli was dead, but he was breathing and, after a few long moments, his eyes fluttered open. “Did we do it?”

“We won,” Arthur reassured him. “Thanks to you.”

“The door?” Gilli asked before gasping in pain.

Looking at the far wall Arthur saw a door shimmer into existence. “It's there,” Arthur said.

“Go on, then,” Gilli replied.

Morgana was kneeling next to him pressing a handkerchief to the nasty cut Gilli had on his forehead.

“We can't leave you here injured,” Arthur said.

“I'll get him back to the castle,” Morgana said, “And I'll make sure the others get help as well.”

“You're not coming with us?”

Morgana looked at him and touched his face tenderly. “This is something you and Merlin have to do, together. We were just here to help you get there. Go.”

“Morgana, thank you. You're the best sister I've ever had,” Arthur said, grasping her hand and giving it a squeeze.

“And you're the only brother I've had,” she said, taking her hand away. “Do what you have to do.” She turned to Merlin. “Merlin? Take care of him.”

“I will.”

Leaving Morgana behind to tend to the wounded Gilli, Arthur and Merlin headed on through what Arthur hoped would be the final door. As they passed through it, they found the room they stepped into lit up with torches but empty.

“What do we do now?” Arthur asked. "Where's the sword in the stone?”

“I don't know,” Merlin said, turning around. There was nothing but the torches in the room. The floor was sand, but that was all it contained. “Maybe you should use the ball again. You might see something.”

Arthur took the ball out with his free hand and looked into it, hoping to see something, some clue as to what they had to do next. The grey mists swirled in front of him again, and this time the images came and went quickly. He saw the sword in the stone they had come to seek. Arthur saw himself pulling it out, and then he saw a golden light. Finally, there was an image of him wearing what looked like a crown, but it passed by so quickly he couldn’t be sure.

“What did you see?” Merlin asked.

Arthur shook his head as the mist cleared. “It was weird. I was pulling the sword out of the stone but then later I think I was wearing a crown.”

“Arthur, you know what that means?” Merlin asked, excitedly.

“I'm not the heir, Merlin. How can I be?”

“You're good with a sword,” Merlin said. “Better than anyone I've seen. Why shouldn’t it be you?”

“It also showed me pulling the sword out of the stone and there isn't a stone or a sword here.”

At those words, the rumbling began again; Arthur couldn't believe his eyes. The sand whipped up into what looked like a small tornado. The wind blew around them, and Arthur shielded his eyes from the sand.

The wind died down as suddenly as it began, cut off as if flipping a switch. Arthur lowered his arm to see a stone before them, and sticking out of the stone was the hilt of a sword. It was exactly as he had seen in his visions.

“The sword in the stone,” he whispered.

“Well, go and pull it out,” Merlin said, giving Arthur a gentle push.

“What makes you think I can pull it out?”

“I believe in your destiny,” Merlin said.

It seemed that Merlin didn't want to elaborate on that. Destiny, such an odd word, Arthur thought, but if Merlin believed in it then perhaps he should, too. He put his sword down and went up to the stone. Well, stone might be too mild a word; it was, in fact, a large rock that looked as if it had been hewn from something much larger, long ago.

Taking a deep breath, he grasped the hilt of the sword. His fingers and hand tingled with magic. The tingle travelled up his arm and he could feel his magic pulling at the sword before he'd even made an effort. Focussing on his magic, he pulled, and slowly felt the sword give and begin to lift out of the stone.

Arthur wasn't sure his arms would reach high enough, there seemed to be no end to the sword. Finally, the tip came free and he had the whole thing in his hands. He could hardly believe it. The sword was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

It gleamed in the torchlight, the bright silver joined by a golden hue. The centre of the sword was inlaid with a gold coloured metal, and on it were engraved runes. Arthur couldn’t read them, but as he turned the sword over he saw they were different on each side. The sword made his magic sing. He could feel it practically bursting out of him.

“You did it. You pulled the sword out of the stone,” Merlin said, laughing in joy.

“I did,” Arthur said, smiling.

They were so caught up in their excitement they had failed to noticed another figure enter the room.

“Yes, I'm grateful you did that, Arthur Pendragon,” a voice said.

Arthur turned to see a figure in a brown cloak approaching. The figure paused and lowered his hood.

“Professor Muirden,” Arthur said, grasping the sword tightly.

The Professor held out his hand. “Give me the sword.”

Arthur raised it ready to strike the man down. “No.”

“It will be easier if you just give me the sword. He won't be angry then.”

“Who? Who is behind this? The man who killed my mother?” Arthur asked, raising his voice.

The Professor smiled. It was a sick, twisted smile. “He was no man, Arthur. He was a great wizard who wanted the best for sorcerers. He wanted to weed out the weak, those that would dilute the power of magic.”

“He murdered people in cold blood,” Merlin said, stepping forward to stand at Arthur's side. “That's not the power of magic.”

“Give me the sword. I won't ask again,” Professor Muirden said. Then he twitched and his head jerked slightly.

“He's being controlled,” Merlin said, grimly. “That's not Professor Muirden speaking.”

Arthur frowned, watching as the Professor’s body started shaking uncontrollably. “What?”

Professor Muirden fell to the ground, his body writhing in agony. He made odd, pained sounds before he gave out one long scream and then lay still. Arthur knew the professor was dead.

Another figure, a smaller one in a dark green cloak, stepped forward. “Well, Emrys, you worked it out then?”

Arthur recognised the voice. “Mordred?”

Mordred hadn't bothered with the hood of his cloak. He stepped out of the shadows and toward Arthur. “One of my names, yes.”

“Mordred is an anagram, Arthur.” Arthur did not need to ask what the anagram was of. He knew it was Mr Odder.

“I was surprised it took you this long. All those headaches in Professor Muirden's class,” Mordred smiled. “He was the only teacher not blocking me. I stopped you doing magic in Nimueh's lesson but that was all I managed. I was frustrated at first, but then I realised I had an advantage. You would think it was Professor Muirden.”

“It was you all along?”

Mordred gave another smile. “Of course it was.” He looked down at the body of Professor Muirden. "A pity he started doubting things after the cockatrice. He tried to fight me just now. I couldn’t let him do that. He will serve another purpose, though. He'll take the blame for your deaths.”

“No!” Merlin rushed forward before Arthur could stop him.

With a flick of his wrist, Mordred sent Merlin flying back to land with a sickening crunch against the wall. “Merlin!” Arthur yelled. He couldn't see if Merlin was breathing. He wanted to race over to his side, but found he couldn't move.

“An interesting spell, don’t you think?” Mordred asked.

Arthur struggled, trying to break free to get to Merlin, but he couldn't. “If you've killed him....”

“Don't worry, you'll join your precious boyfriend soon,” Mordred said.

He looked older than he should, Arthur realised. Like a man in a child's body. “What do you want?”

“Revenge. Your mother robbed me of my life. When she resisted me, when she took the curse on herself, it rebounded and killed my body. It was years before I could reincarnate. A lonely girl who never knew who I was gave me life once more. I remembered when I was three years old and watched our house burn down. The druids took me in, it was so easy.”

“And what, you think we'll stand aside and let you murder people?”

Mordred laughed: a youthful, but cold, sound. “With the sword, of course they will. They'll see me as the true heir of Riothamus and they'll welcome me.”

Gripping the sword, Arthur faced his enemy. “You are not getting the sword. I'll die before I let you have it.”

“You're so like your mother,” Mordred said. “But like her, you'll fail.”

As Mordred began to advance on Arthur, Arthur took hold of the sword hilt with both hands and pointed it toward his enemy. This child was the one who had robbed him of a mother, a mother who loved him enough to sacrifice herself for him. Arthur thought about that, thought about the love she’d had for him, thought about the love he'd had for her, the mother he had never known. His magic came to life and the sword began to glow.

That stopped Mordred in his tracks. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Arthur didn't know. He concentrated on the feelings of love. Whatever it was, it was working. He heard Merlin moan and open his eyes. Merlin. He loved Merlin too. He let his love for Merlin wash over him. As it had helped him with his magic many times before, so it helped him now. The sword began to glow brighter.

Merlin got to his feet and staggered over to where Arthur stood holding the glowing sword. He was keeping Mordred at bay, but he hadn't defeated him. Then Merlin leaned against Arthur, and Arthur began to feel something flow from Merlin and he realised what it was: Merlin's magic, Merlin's love. Arthur felt his necklace glow with warmth.

The two of them together seemed to increase the power of the sword. It glowed almost white, and Mordred began to look fearful. It seemed he was rooted to the spot; he couldn't move. With a final push from both Arthur and Merlin, Arthur felt their combined magic, their love, push through the sword. In a bright flash like lightning, it struck Mordred, who vanished in a bright burst of light.

Arthur's eyes burned and his arms ached. The sword was dulled, no longer shining brightly. It felt heavy in his hands, very heavy, and his whole body felt exhausted.

“Tired,” he mumbled.

Merlin said nothing, just leaned against Arthur as the two of them dropped to the floor. Arthur let his eyes close, and with Merlin's weight on top of him he gave into his exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

******************************************************************************

When Arthur woke up, he wasn’t in the same room, and Merlin was no longer lying on top of him. “Merlin?”

He became aware he was lying in a bed. In Camelot's infirmary, of all places. Arthur recognised the high ceiling and uncomfortable-looking beds from the tour they'd had in their first week. Luckily, this had been the first time he'd visited since. He glanced around and saw Merlin in the bed next to his. He looked fast asleep but otherwise unharmed. “Merlin!”

Merlin blinked his eyes open and turned to look at Arthur. “Arthur.” A smile broke on out on Merlin's face. “We're alive. You did it.”

“No,” Arthur said, knowing he couldn’t have defeated Mordred alone. “We did it.”

They took a moment to smile at each other before they heard the sound of footsteps approaching their beds. Arthur was still lying down, and he struggled to sit up a little to see who their visitor was. He soon recognised the two figures approaching their beds: Gaius and Nimueh.

“Ah, you’re both awake, that's good,” Gaius said, smiling. “You gave us quite a scare there.”

“What happened?” Arthur and Merlin both asked at more or less the same time.

“I think you know some of what happened,” Gaius said. “We found you in the dungeons after your friends came rushing to find us.”

“We thought you weren't at Camelot,” Arthur said.

“We returned early,” Nimueh replied. “At Professor Kilgharrah's request.”

“He knew what happened?” Arthur asked.

“Of course. He knows everything that happens at Camelot.”

“Then why did he...?” Arthur started to ask why the Professor hadn't helped them, but then he remembered the rather cryptic conversation they'd had with him.

“Only you could defeat 'Him',” Nimueh said, as if reading Arthur's mind.

“Did we?” Merlin asked.

“For now, yes,” Gaius said. “Now, get some rest. Your friends will want to see you soon. They've already left you all these.” He waved his hands to indicate several bunches of flowers and plenty of cards placed on the tables surrounding them. “You've been asleep for three days.”

“Three days?” Merlin asked. “It didn't feel like three days.”

“Because you were asleep, Merlin,” Gaius said.

“Is Gilli all right?” Arthur asked.

“Fine. He healed quickly. His injury was merely physical. You put a great strain on yourselves by mixing your magic. It shouldn’t even have been possible,” Gaius said.

“But we did it,” Arthur pointed out. It had exhausted them, and they had ended up in hospital beds, but they had succeeded.

“Yes,” Nimueh said, a smile playing on her lips. “You did.”

“What about the sword?” Arthur asked.

“Professor Kilgharrah has it and he will determine what is to be done with it.”

Arthur wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

“When can we get out of here?” Merlin asked.

“When I say you are fully recovered,” Gaius said, firmly. “You better rest while you can. You might not have much chance in the next few days.”

Gaius and Nimueh left them to it. They talked some, but Arthur still felt tired and let his eyes close. He wasn't really aware he had dozed off until he felt someone prodding him.

“Come on, Arthur, not like you to not wake up to get the glory.” It sounded like his sister.

“Morgana?” Arthur looked up to see his sister by his bedside, smiling, She looked a lot happier than she had a few days earlier.

“And everyone else,” she said.

Arthur sat up, Morgana helping him rearrange his pillows so he could sit up more comfortably. Quite a crowd had gathered. Along with Morgana, there was Gwen, all the knights, Elena, and Gilli, looking no worse for wear and completely recovered. He and Elena were holding hands. “What are you all doing here?”

“We came to see you of course,” Elena said, rolling her eyes.

“Actually, I just came to see if anyone had left you any 'get well soon' chocolates,” Gwaine said.

“Oi!” Merlin said. He had obviously woken up too. “You are not eating--”

Merlin wasn’t able to finish that sentence as Gwaine, Lancelot, and Percival pushed one side of his bed. They pushed it across the small gap until it was touching Arthur's.

“Is that better?” Lancelot asked.

Merlin put his head on Arthur's shoulder and leaned against him. “Much. Thank you,” he said. “But you're not getting any chocolate.”

“I brought you some grapes,” Percival offered.

Arthur took the very large bunch and placed it on the bed. Merlin immediately picked one and popped it in his mouth.

“So, what happened to you?” Merlin asked, his mouth full of grape.

“Don't talk with your mouth full,” Arthur said, gently elbowing him.

“When you defeated....” Lancelot began.

Everyone looked at him to see whose name he was going to say. Lancelot paused, unsure if he should continue.

“Mordred,” Arthur supplied. They had defeated Mordred, and that name had been used for months. It didn't hold any power over Arthur, and he hoped none of the others thought it did.

“Yes, our obstacles just vanished.”

“The vines disappeared?” Arthur asked.

“They did,” Elyan replied.

“I could dismount the horse,” Elena said. “Then it vanished.”

“I wasn't stuck to the floor,” Gwen said.

“I was able to get Gilli back to where the others were,” Morgana added.

“He was so badly hurt, but Morgana told me how brave he was,” Elena said, smiling at him.

There was nothing like a near death experience to make you realise who you loved, Arthur thought. He'd discovered that down in the dungeons. Without that love he probably wouldn't have survived, and he and Merlin would be dead instead of sitting in bed eating grapes and talking to their friends.

“So tell us what happened,” Morgana said.

Arthur began telling the tale but he allowed Merlin to interject in between grape eating.

“Why are you eating so many grapes?” he asked at one point.

“Fighting evil makes me hungry,” was Merlin's muffled reply.

Their friends listened in awe, pulling over beds to sit on. Arthur didn't think it was that interesting, but apparently what he and Merlin had done was supposed to be impossible.

“How did you do it?” Morgana asked. “How did you mix your magic and project it through the sword?”

“I just thought about love,” Arthur said. “Merlin?”

Merlin nodded. “I did too.”

“It can't be that simple,” Morgana said.

“It can,” Gilli spoke up. “It's a powerful magic of its own.”

Elena was smiling happily at him again. Although Arthur didn’t really notice, as he was too busy kissing Merlin.

Shortly afterwards, their friends left, shooed away by Gaius who said his patients needed more rest. They had spent the last three days doing exactly that, though, and instead used the time to talk.

“I'll have to write to my parents about this,” Merlin said.

“Me too,” Arthur replied. “Merlin, you're inviting your parents to the Beltane festival?”

“Of course.”

“I'm going to write to my father and ask him to come,” Arthur said.

“You said he hates the magical world.”

“He does. But if I tell him what's happened maybe he might not hate it that much. He does love me.”

Merlin put an arm around Arthur's waist. “I hope he shows it and turns up then.”

“Help me write the letter?” Arthur asked.

“Of course.” Merlin concentrated and conjured up paper, quill and some ink. “I wanted to test my magic,” he said.

“How did it feel?”

“Better than it did before,” Merlin replied. “Okay, so do you want to start this letter 'Dear Dad'?”

****************************************************************************

Two days later they were released from the infirmary, after both of them were able to demonstrate their magic hadn't suffered any ill effects. In fact both Arthur and Merlin's magic seemed to be better than before. Their spells were clean and focussed with the other near. Gaius made copious notes.

The first thing they did once they had their freedom was to send letters off to their parents. Merlin was supremely confident that Archimedes could manage a letter to the magical world and one to the mundane world at the same time. Arthur hoped he was right, and the owl had squawked as if to reassure him.

Once Archimedes was on his way, they were summoned by Gaius. Professor Kilgharrah apparently wanted to talk to them, so Gaius escorted them to the dragon's lair. Arthur was glad. He had questions about what had happened and he wanted answers himself.

Kilgharrah was waiting for them as they entered. “Hello again,” he said.

“Hello,” Arthur and Merlin said.

“First, I have a gift for you,” Kilgharrah said. From behind the great bulk of the dragon floated the sword, the very sword Arthur had pulled from the stone. “You know what this is?” he asked.

“Yes,” Arthur replied.

“It is not yet your time to wield it,” Kilgharrah said. The sword floated temptingly in front of Arthur. “However, you proved you are the one it is intended for. Therefore I will ask you, Merlin, to place it where it will be safe and hidden.”

“Where would that be?” Merlin asked.

“There is a lake, not far from the castle grounds. It's murky waters will keep the sword safe until it is time.”

“Until when?” Arthur asked.

“The evil you fought is not yet vanquished. You have won the battle but the war has only just begun.”

“But he's dead!” Arthur said. They had defeated him, and he had seen Mordred vanish with his own eyes.

“No,” Kilgharrah said. “He was not destroyed.”

“So he can come back?” Merlin asked, voicing Arthur's fears.

“Everything not destroyed can come back,” Kilgharrah said. “But that is your destiny. You pulled the sword out of the stone.”

“Arthur did,” Merlin said.

“You are but two halves of a whole,” Kilgharrah said. “Your path is a shared one. One day you will realise this.”

Arthur wanted to ask more questions: how had 'He' managed to come back, what had he and Merlin done, how could they defeat him once and for all? He wouldn't get the chance, for Kilgharrah flapped his wings and launched himself off the rock and out into the cave, out of sight.

“That was helpful,” Arthur mumbled.

The sword had flown toward Merlin and now lay at his feet. Merlin carefully picked it up. “I should go and throw this in the lake,” he said.

The blade caught Arthur's eye again and he reached out to touch it, running a fingertip down the body of it. “Seems a shame,” he said.

Merlin yanked it back and then took off his jumper to cover the sword. “I'm hiding it,” he said. “Right now.”

Grabbing the sword and keeping it covered Merlin raced out and up the stairs. Arthur followed him, but by the time he emerged he couldn’t see Merlin anywhere. “Where's Merlin?” he asked Gaius, who had been patiently waiting for them.

“He went in quite a hurry,” Gaius said. “Why don't you go to your chambers? I'm sure he won't be long.”

Realising there was no way Gaius would let him follow Merlin, Arthur nodded, and made his way back to Valerian College and their chambers. Along the way he met several students who smiled and congratulated him. Arthur told them it wasn't just him, that it had been Merlin as well, but they seemed too caught up in praising him to notice.

*****************************************************************************

It was after dark by the time Merlin returned. “Merlin!” Arthur said, embracing him as soon as he came through the door. “I was worried!”

“I got lost,” Merlin admitted. “You think moving doors are difficult to deal with you should try moving forests.”

Arthur kissed him. “You did it?” he whispered.

“Yeah. I know why I had to do it alone,” Merlin said. “I....”

Arthur silenced him with another kiss. “I trust you, Merlin. You don't have to tell me yet,” he said.

“I will,” Merlin replied. “One day.”

“Good. Now it’s been days since we had sex and I think we need to rectify that.”

Merlin was already pulling at Arthur’s shirt. “Absolutely.”

“Don’t you know a spell for getting us naked?” Arthur asked.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and Arthur felt the warmth of Merlin's skin next to his. “I think I remember it,” he said, smiling.

“Good. Merlin, I think we should go all the way,” Arthur said, wrapping his arms around his lover. “I want you to fuck me.”

“There's a problem with that,” Merlin replied. “I was hoping you'd fuck me.”

“Well one of us is going to be disappointed.”

“Is sex with me ever disappointing?”

“Not if you do what I tell you,” Arthur replied.

“You don't have to prove you trust me, Arthur.”

“When did you take a degree in psychology?” Arthur asked.

“I already have one in Arthur,” Merlin said, kissing him. “How about a compromise?”

“I'm listening,” Arthur said, pulling Merlin toward the bed.

“I'll show you.”

Merlin pushed Arthur onto the bed and climbed on top of him. They indulged in the usual foreplay. Arthur had a thing for Merlin's neck from that angle, and Merlin always had a thing for Arthur's chest. They took their time, neither in any rush. It had been days since they'd last had the chance to touch each other so intimately, so they made the most of it.

With a lingering kiss, Merlin sat up, straddling Arthur. “My compromise,” he said, conjuring a bottle of lubricant. Arthur was grateful they didn’t need to buy their sex supplies.

Merlin coated his fingers with the lubricant, and for one moment Arthur thought he was going to get his way. Then Merlin put his hand around his back and started preparing himself.

“Merlin?”

Merlin's eyes were closed, his face the picture of concentration. “Shhhh.”

Arthur kept quiet. It was agonising to watch Merlin prepare himself, watching his facial expressions as he concentrated. It seemed to take an age, and Arthur did think he heard Merlin whisper a spell to speed things up.

Merlin finally drew his hand back and then with the other he coated Arthur's cock with lubricant. Arthur bit his lip trying to keep his self-control.

“Ready?” Merlin asked, raising himself up as he straddled Arthur.

“Always,” Arthur replied.

He watched, amazed, as Merlin slowly guided Arthur’s cock into himself and sank down on it. It obviously wasn’t easy, as Merlin's face looked a little pained, but when he was fully down that seemed to ease a little and Merlin opened his eyes to smile at Arthur.

There were no words said, but the sentiment of the love they felt for each other passed between them. With a little smile, Merlin began to move up and down, riding Arthur's cock. Arthur pushed up to meet Merlin's downward strokes, Merlin's thighs gripped Arthur's hips as he came down, and the two of them rode together. Arthur felt his love for Merlin as he brushed his thumbs against Merlin’s thighs. He trusted Merlin to take the lead and let him set the pace.

They moved together in perfect time. It was almost as if they could each sense the feeling of the other. Arthur knew this wasn’t just about a physical connection, or sex, and he knew Merlin felt exactly the same. When he came, he felt Merlin shudder above him and he sat up, taking Merlin into his arms. He brushed a kiss against Merlin's temple.

Carefully they separated, Merlin wincing a little, and Arthur soothed him with gentle kisses. He brought Merlin to lie down beside him.

“What did you think of my compromise?” Merlin asked.

“Next time we try it my way,” Arthur said, kissing Merlin's cheek. “It was perfect,” he whispered.

Merlin smiled his post-sex sleepy smile, and no more words needed to be said.

*****************************************************************************

The rest of their spring break was spent alternately resting and indulging in bouts of sex. Merlin had found a spell to sound-proof their chambers, so they had to find out just how soundproof it was. The answer was very. Even if the walls had turned a very interesting shade of mauve.

After break ended, things went back to normal. Lectures continued, although no replacement for Professor Muirden had been found and so Nimueh substituted. The lectures themselves weren't too involving. The examinations had all been taken and the rest of the year was focussed on honing the skills they had developed.

Arthur continued training with the knights, but now they treated him with a new respect. Thankfully, they were as prepared to push him as ever. He didn't want the weight of prophecy to change anything, and, aside from the paper crown Gwaine made for him one training session, it didn't.

Within weeks, it was time for Beltane. The festival was the cause of great excitement. The whole castle was decked out in colourful decorations. Ribbons, flowers, colourful paper chains were all put up throughout the castle; not one corner went undecorated. The whole place was brimming with vibrant colour.

The festival itself would be taking place on the field next to the castle. It was the only place large enough to accommodate the gathering of all the students and their invited guests. Rumour was that Professor Kilgharrah would also be making an appearance at the celebration. This was apparently a rare event, though as Arthur had met the dragon, the excitement at this news was dulled a little.

On the morning of the festival, Merlin woke Arthur up early so they could go and greet Merlin’s parents. Merlin's father had wanted to come via wyvern, but Hunith had dissuaded him, so they were taking the train instead. They weren't able to stay long, but it was enough for Merlin that they were attending at all. Arthur still had no idea if his father would appear. There had been no response to his letter.

They met Merlin's parents at the gate as the carriages from the station dropped them off. There was a large number of parents attending, but Arthur followed Merlin who it seemed instinctively knew where his parents were.

“Mum! Dad!” Merlin said, waving frantically.

They smiled as they caught sight of Merlin.

Hunith came over and embraced her son.”Merlin!”

“I'm so glad you could come,” Merlin said, as Balinor patted his back.

Hunith turned to Arthur and smiled. “Arthur, good to see you.” She gave Arthur the biggest hug he'd had in his life.

“You too,” he said, as he felt the life being hugged out of him.

“Mum, leave my boyfriend alone,” Merlin said. “You'll squash him.”

With a laugh, Hunith let go. “I want you to tell me everything,” she said.

“It's a long story,” Merlin replied.

They walked to the field with Merlin giving the account of everything that had happened to them after Christmas. Hunith interrupted in her motherly way to scold Merlin for his lack of common sense. Despite that, Arthur could tell from the way she was looking at Merlin she was proud of him.

When they reach the field, Arthur led them to the table where the Valerian students and their guests would be sitting. He'd got them a good spot in the middle of the table, with a good view of the rest of the field. There would be various entertainments going on throughout the day, and Arthur wanted to make sure Hunith and Balinor didn't miss them.

As they sat down, Elena and Gilli came over. Elena was with an older man Arthur guessed to be her father. He had a kind face, and an almost noble bearing. Gilli was with his mother, quite a tall woman who seemed as nervous as Gilli could be.

“Arthur, Merlin, this is my father,” Elena said. “Father, this is Arthur and Merlin.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr Godwin,” Arthur said, politely.

“Call me Simon, please,” Elena's father said.

“This is my mother,” Gilli said. “These are my friends, Mum.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said, quietly. “Gilli's told me a lot about you.”

“You have a fine son, Mrs Ring,” Arthur said, shaking her hand. Her grip was a little unsure but she offered Arthur a smile.

“These are my parents,” Merlin said. “Mum, this is Elena and Gilli and their parents.”

“Balinor?” Simon Godwin smiled. “I haven't seen you since the last Endangered Dragons conference. How are you?”

Elena's father sat down next to Balinor, and the two immediately began talking. It seemed they knew each other very well. They'd not only been at Camelot at a similar time, in the same college, but Mr Godwin was a strong supporter of Balinor's wyvern sanctuary.

“My father has a strong interest in the preservation of magical creatures,” Elena explained.

On the other hand Gilli's mother looked a little out of place, but Hunith smoothly drew her into conversation, and soon they were sharing stories about bringing up magical sons. Stories which caused both Merlin and Gilli to blush.

The families happily talked together as the field filled up. Arthur kept a look out for Morgana, and saw she was happy in the company of Morgause. Arthur wasn't sure about Morgause, but if Morgana loved her perhaps she wasn't that bad.

The knights took a little time to say hello, but they were busy keeping order among the crowds. A fight broke out at the Thyme table, and it was only thanks to the intervention of Percival and Leon that order was restored relatively quickly. Most of the guests barely noticed.

A small stage had been set up at one end of the field, presumably for the entertainments later, but currently there were several chairs and a lectern on it. It looked exactly like the stage in the Great Hall which the professors used to address the large gatherings of students. Merlin had told him speeches were made to toast the spring.

When everyone was gathered, the Professors came and sat on the chairs onstage. All except for Gaius, who was standing at the lectern. There was a great deal of noise from all the talking and laughter, and Arthur wondered how anyone would be able to hear Gaius call for order.

As it was, he didn’t call. He simply clapped his hands and a large booming sound echoed across the field. It was so powerful Arthur felt it in his bones. Once the sound had receded, a hushed silence fell.

“Ladies and gentlemen, students and guests of Camelot,” Gaius began. “It is with great pleasure I welcome you here today for our Beltane festival. Entertainment will begin shortly, and food will be served, but first I would like to hand you over to our chancellor, Professor Kilgharrah, who will get the celebrations under way.”

At first, there was no sign of the dragon, but then Arthur heard a familiar flapping noise and from the horizon appeared a large black shape. The crowd seemed awed. Arthur had to admit he might have been had he not met Kilgharrah in less grand surroundings.

With a large thud, Kilgharrah landed on the ground behind the platform. He stretched his wings once, before folding them to his sides.

“I welcome you to Camelot,” he said. His voice sounded louder and more powerful in the open air. “The last few weeks have seen a great deal of excitement. I would like to take this opportunity to honour those who have helped maintain the traditions of Camelot and triumphed against difficult odds.”

This was unexpected, Arthur thought.

“The knights of Camelot,” Kilgharrah said. “Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan, Leon and Percival, step forward.”

Looking a little embarrassed, the knights came out from their positions around the field where they had been standing sentry duty. They walked toward Kilgharrah in a line keeping their heads high as the assembled crowd looked at them.

They approached Kilgharrah carefully and stood to attention in front of him.

“Thank you,” Kilgharrah said.

The knights all bowed before they filed past him to stand at one side of the stage.

“Gwen the blacksmith, and Morgana the Seer,” the dragon said.

Arthur saw Gwen get up from one of the far tables and walk to meet Morgana, who had stood up from the Sage table. They walked down together to face the dragon. Gwen's head was bowed, and even Morgana didn’t look as confident as she normally did.

They curtsied in front of the dragon and went to stand with the knights.

“Thank you,” Kilgharrah said. “Elena the horse rider, and Gilli the chess grandmaster.”

Elena stood up proudly, and her father was beaming. She practically dragged Gilli up from his seat. His mother looked so shocked that Hunith had to put a hand on her shoulder. Elena showed no fear as she took Gilli down to meet the dragon.

When they got there Gilli and Elena both bowed.

“Thank you,” Kilgharrah said. “And now Arthur Pendragon, and Merlin Emrys.”

Arthur had been half expecting his name to be called out but it was still quite a shock.

“Come on then,” he whispered to Merlin.

They held hands as they walked toward the dragon. The others had drawn interested gazes but only the two of them seemed to draw an almost awed silence. You could have heard a pin drop as they passed the assembled crowds.

“You did a great service to this university,” Kilgharrah said. “Thank you.”

The crowd erupted into applause and cheers as Merlin and Arthur went to stand with their friends. Arthur felt quite overwhelmed by it.

“Get used to it,” Merlin said, above the din “One day they're all going to know you pulled the sword out of the stone.”

“I think I can wait a few years,” Arthur said.

The applause seemed to take an age to die down. The friends all looked at each other, embarrassed. Arthur knew they were all thinking what he was – that they didn’t deserve it. When it finally grew quiet again, Arthur was relieved more than anything.

“Now,” Kilgharrah. “I wish you a happy and fruitful Beltane. Let the celebrations, begin!”

There was a big flash of light and the sound of a thunderclap, and ribbons and confetti rained down. The girls held out their hands in delight to catch them. Food appeared on the tables and Arthur was sure he could hear music coming from somewhere. In the pandemonium they all made their way back to their seats.

Once seated, everyone began to tuck into the food. There were pies, meats, bread, cheese, sweets, fruit, everything Arthur could imagine. It was quite the feast. He was tucking into an apple when he thought he saw a familiar figure in the distance, near the wall of the castle.

“Father?” he whispered.

Merlin obviously heard him, for he stopped eating and put down the piece of cheese he had been about to bite into. “Why don't we go and see?” he suggested.

Nodding, Arthur got up from the table. He didn't trust his eyes at this point. He thought he heard Merlin say something to his parents before he was at Arthur’s side. “Come on,” he said.

As they walked toward the figure, Arthur wondered if he wasn't seeing a magical mirage. There was no way his father would be here at Camelot. Yet the closer they got, the more sure Arthur became that the person they were walking toward was Uther Pendragon.

They stopped about five feet in front of him. Arthur wasn't sure if he dared go any closer. If this was his father, he didn't want to scare him off. “Father?”

“Arthur,” Uther replied. “I read your letter.”

“You got my letters then?” Arthur asked.

“Yes.”

There was silence Uther not offering any further information.

“Why are you here?” Arthur asked.

“I had to see you. I had to see you in this place,” Uther turned away and ran his hand across the stone of the castle. “Your mother brought me here once, before we were married. I never knew how much it meant to her until she was gone.”

“She enjoyed it here,” Arthur said. “I enjoy it here.”

Uther turned back, his face set in a tight smile. “I can see that.” He looked at Merlin. “Is this?”

Arthur took Merlin's hand. “This is Merlin,” he said. “My boyfriend.”

“Pleased to meet you, sir,” Merlin said, looking more nervous than Arthur had ever seen him.

“You take care of Arthur?”

“I try. We take care of each other.”

Uther looked thoughtful. “I'm glad I saw this today.”

“You can stay,” Arthur said. “Come and meet everyone. Morgana will be pleased to see you here.” Even as he made the request he knew his father's answer would be no.

“I can't,” Uther said. “I don’t belong here. I never did.”

“I do,” Arthur told him.

“You do. Perhaps I was wrong to stop you. You have my permission to attend for as long as you want.”

His father didn’t sound too happy about it, and he had hardly given his blessing, but it was a start. “Thank you, Father.”

“Enjoy yourselves,” Uther said.

That was all he said before he walked away; away from the field, away from Camelot, and away from Arthur. Part of Arthur wanted to call his father back, but most of him knew it was best to let him go.

“I can't believe he came,” Arthur said, quietly.

“He loves you,” Merlin said, simply.

Maybe love's magic was indeed the most powerful kind.

They made it back to the table. By now the stage was filled with jugglers and acrobats. Everyone else was distracted and didn’t ask Arthur and Merlin where they'd been. Arthur had no intention of telling them anyway. What had happened was something he had never expected, and he wanted to keep the moment as precious and as private as he could.

The festival went on for the rest of the day. There were magic shows, maypole dancing, all kinds of things. Then, as the sun set, bonfires were lit and the formality of the tables was abandoned in favour of the crowds all mingling together. The mead flowed freely and everyone was feeling merry, though none were as happy as Arthur.

Once it was dark, the crowds were treated to a fireworks display. Unlike the mundane fireworks Arthur knew from his youth, these exploded into moving shapes. Knights rode horses across the sky, dragons breathed fire, and ships sailed on a sea of sparks.

Arthur sat with Merlin on the grass looking at the display. His mind, though, was elsewhere. As he looked at the sparkling showers of light, he traced his journey, saw how far he had come to get to this point. He had lived what felt like a lifetime. He had left the shell of a past life behind and embraced something new and different.

“What are you thinking?” Merlin asked, stroking Arthur's cheek. “You were miles away.”

“I was,” Arthur admitted. He turned to face Merlin. “I was just thinking.”

“That's dangerous, Arthur.”

Arthur laughed and touched Merlin's lips. “No, I was thinking. I'm home.”

Understanding, Merlin came forward for a kiss as the light of the fireworks scattered across the sky above them. Yes, Arthur, thought, this is home.


End file.
